Guardian
by FireBluez1115
Summary: What would you do if your Guardian Angel came to life as a human? Read and find out! (A Faberry Drama)
1. Introduction

_**You guys ready for another adventure? I sure am! Come with me on this wild imaginary journey. I promise you won't be disappointed. And so begins the first chapter of Guardian...**_

* * *

**Ch 1**

_This story isn't about me. Nor is it a tale that is filled with happiness. If you're expecting a fairytale then you should quickly switch out and jump to another story. No, this isn't about me at all. I don't fit into the equation. I'm obsolete, nonexistent, as it should be. _

_It's about her. It's always been about her._

* * *

It was just like any normal day. The sun had risen and people were waking up to the sounds of their alarm. Everyone in the city of Lima was getting up to do their morning rituals, with the exception of one. That said person was still asleep, tucked away in her nice warm bed. She had completely forgotten to set her alarm the night before due to a late night project she was finishing up. By the time it was all completed her mind zoned out, only focusing on getting some sleep. But little did she know, reality was about to come knocking on her door in a foul way.

A bird ran smack into her bedroom window, waking the girl up in an instant. Her eyes opened and surveyed her room. Morning light was streaming through her bedroom window. She winced at the brightness and wiped away the wetness at the edge of her eyes. The girl rolled over in bed and tossed a glance at her clock. Her heart stopped. Her eyes grew wide.

"FUCK!" she screamed as she flew from bed.

Within an instant she was running around her room, eagerly throwing clothes on while trying to brush her hair and teeth. Looking somewhat decent, the girl grabbed her school bags and rushed downstairs. She mindlessly grabbed her keys and took off. While on the road she sent a few quick text messages to her friends to let them know she would be arriving late. Then she sent one long text to her beloved boyfriend. With her eyes off the road she swerved. Immediately she looked up and got back on the road. A second later a loud pop broke out into the air. Her car started shaking.

The girl closed her eyes and muttered a few obscene words underneath her breath as she pulled her car over. She got out of her vehicle and looked at the back wheel. Her tire had popped. The girl flung her head back in disbelief.

"You have got to be kidding me! Ugh! I'm going to be SOOO late!" she screamed out in frustration.

She tossed her hands in the air and kicked at the road before pulling out her phone. She dialed her boyfriend's number and waited for him to pick up.

"Hey." He answered.

The girl smiled widely as she pressed the phone closer to her ear. "Hey sweetie, do you think there is any way you could come and help me out? I just got a flat." She paused.

"Really? Where at?" the boy asked.

"Yeah, I was taking McGregor's road. I must've hit a rock or something."

"You've got to be careful on that road. It's nothing BUT rocks." The boy warned.

"I know, I know… will you come help me?" she asked.

"Of course babe. I love you. Be there soon." He replied.

"Okay. Love you too!" The girl answered back.

* * *

_But nothing really is ever what it seems…. _

It was just like any normal day. The sun had risen and people were waking up to the sounds of their alarm. Everyone in the city of Lima was getting up to do their morning rituals, with the exception of one. That said person was still asleep, tucked away in her nice warm bed. She had completely forgotten to set her alarm the night before due to a late night project she was finishing up.

From across the room a figure shifted through the air, hovering in spot. The figure's eyes were glued to Rachel with a determined gleam. Her eyes shifted to the clock by Rachel's bedside. If Rachel didn't wake up soon she was going to be really late. By the looks of it, the girl wasn't planning on waking up anytime soon. The figure huffed out a breath and looked around the room. Nothing obvious was going to wake her. In a single movement the figure expanded her black silver wings and flew up from Rachel's bedroom. The sunlight surrounded the figure as she flew high into the clouds. Here, she stopped and hovered, looking down at Rachel's house. The figure quickly spotted a single bird flying by the house. With a swipe of force, the bird easily flew into the direction of the house, more precisely, Rachel's bedroom window. The bird smacked into the window. A second later the bird shook its head and flew off back into the sky.

The figure waited for only a few minutes until she spotted the frame of a rushing Rachel Berry exiting the house. In one swoop the figure flew down and took a seat in the passenger side car just as Rachel threw herself in. The car spurred to life. A moment later music blasted through the speakers. Then without another word they were off.

The brunette was singing loudly at the top of her voice, matching the performer on the radio. She was easily distracted today and in a rush. Rachel pulled out her phone and started texting. The figure in the seat next to her eyed the girl with a heavy look.

"You know you're not supposed to be doing that." The figure stated in a condescending tone.

But the girl was as oblivious as ever. The figure huffed, leaning back in her seat all while tapping on the arm rest restlessly. Rachel's brown eyes kept flickering from her phone and to the road.

"Seriously, put the phone up!" The figure growled out.

No response as expected. The figure thumped Rachel on the head a few times. "You are fucking STUPID! LOOK UP!" the figure shouted.

Instead Rachel made a move for the radio. The figure was about to slap her hand away until her hand made contact with Rachel. A bright red flash exploded in front of the figure. A moment later, images flooded into her view. Metal, combined with steam along with a piercing high scream appeared in her vision. She could see blood trickling down from someone's head. Rachel's. The girl was lying in the middle of the pavement, thrown from her car. Her left eye was still open. She was barely breathing. The vision and the red burst of light quickly disappeared.

The figure shakes her head in disapproval. "You see! This is why I tell you NOT to do these kinds of things! Geesh, I swear, if you could hear me right now, I'd be slapping you silly!"

Rachel is still on her phone texting. The figure quickly shoots up from the car, expanding her wings like before. She heads up into the morning air, soaring high above the sky. From up above she can easily spot it, the 18 wheeler that is speeding perpendicular to the road Rachel's on. The driver of the 18 wheel is a man who is currently munching on a greasy meatball sandwich, sauce messily dribbling down his shirt. His long and gruffy beard is dirty. His blue eyes are planted lazily on the road without much concentration. The man reaches over for his coffee. He's having a hard time trying to grasp it.

The figure calculates the seconds until the collision happens. Less than 20 seconds. The figure swoops back down, grabbing a small little rock as her hands graze the floor. 10 seconds left. With a flick of her wrist, the small rock goes flying toward Rachel's direction. 5 seconds left. The rock hits the back wheel, bursting it. Rachel's eyes widen. Immediately she pulls over. A second later the 18 wheeler speeds off down the road harmlessly, completely missing the stop he would have run. Rachel opened her door and got out of the car. She was clearly frustrated and angry.

"You have got to be kidding me! Ugh! I'm going to be SOOO late!" Rachel gets out with frustration.

The figure swoops down, landing beside Rachel. She leans down to examine the wheel. "I did a pretty great job! Perfect impact…"

Rachel grabbed her phone and called her boyfriend.

"Hey sweetie, do you think there is any way you could come and help me out? I just got a flat." She pauses. "Yeah, I was taking McGregor's road. I must've hit a rock or something."

"Or something." The figure fired off, rolling her eyes in the process.

"Okay. Love you too!" The girl answered back.

* * *

_Nothing is ever as it seems, especially when it comes to her. But as I said before, this isn't about me. It's about her. And my job is to guide and protect her when times get rough. It is in the highest honor that I remain true and loyal. It is my duty as a soldier to always be there for her. With every breath, comes life and the responsibility of caring for it. She is everything. She is life. I am her protector, her knight, her savior. _

_I am her guardian…._

* * *

**Loved it or hate it? Let me know! Thanks for reading!**


	2. Genesis

**Ch2 Genesis**

* * *

_From the moment that I could remember… there was always Rachel. Even before she was born I had been waiting. For nearly a thousand mortal years I waited for her. We were predestined. She was assigned to me when I turned 100 light years. And ever since, she has always been on my mind. Forever burned into soul …. _

Rachel Barbara Berry was born December 18th at 5:52 am. I can recall every moment like the back of my mind. The sun was barely rising at the Lima Met hospital. And as expected, everything turned out perfect with the delivery. A loud mouthed little girl of 8 lbs and 5oz had come out into the world, crying and screaming. It was the happiest day of my life. I had never felt so grateful for anyone's birth before. And if I could've, I would have been crying along with the screaming baby. When you've been waiting for someone for as long as I had, you would understand. I was on the edge of madness just waiting for her. And now here she was, living, breathing, and screaming for life. It was surreal. I couldn't believe that this was actually happening. But as per usual concerning mortal life, things were changing. There was a distinct aroma in the air as I gazed down at the scene. You never really know how life will turn out, especially with humans. Sudden events can cause dramatic change and alter the course of life. Nothing is ever certain. I was soon about to witness it for myself.

A few minutes after the delivery the doctor came into the room, baby Rachel cradled in his strong lean arms. He walked over to an exhausted Shelby Corcoran, a large and bright smile written across his face. Shelby didn't even bother to glance at the small little girl in his arms.

"Would you like to hold your daughter?" the doctor asked in a soothing, calm manner.

The tears were inevitable as Shelby took in a deep shaky breath. She quickly wiped away her tears, glancing at anything but the doctor. "No… just take her away." She stated with a firm tone.

"This may be your last chance to ever hold her." The doctor warned.

Shelby crossed her arms across her chest, shaking her head. "My job is done. Give her to someone who really wants her."

You can never really be ready for the reality of the world. Life is always changing. And as I watched this whole scene from up above, I couldn't help the small bits of anger that flared up in me. Shelby Corcoran was giving up her daughter, abandoning her.

"You don't even want to say goodbye?" the doctor asked.

"I already did." Shelby replied back.

I sat back and watched the heart breaking scene unfold. A large part of me couldn't believe that Shelby was still going through with the adoption. I thought that after these past few months she would have changed her mind. She was the girl's mother for pete sake! It only made sense that eventually the mother would develop some kind of maternal feelings for the life inside of her.

_But I was wrong. _

The doctor nodded before turning back around and out the door. I stared at the young woman lying on the bed. She had very few tears, her face a mask of no emotion. But in the depths of those brown eyes I could easily see the burning pain behind them. You could see the thoughts running through her mind on replay. Her hands were clutching at her sheets with a tight grip. Still, nothing happened.

I slowly brought myself down to her level, contracting my wings in the process. She looked pale, and lifeless. With a weary breath, I shook my head with disappointment. This wasn't supposed to happen. In my mind, Rachel was supposed to have her mother. Together, they were going to conquer the world. And I would've been there to have seen it all. But reality was far from that and it broke my heart.

"You are going to regret this for the rest of your life. I pray for your soul and hope that one day you will be able to forgive yourself. And I hope for Rachel's sake, she does too." I whispered in a low breath.

Without another word I walked out through the doors. Just a few feet away I spotted two gentlemen holding up my Rachel Berry. Their eyes were gleaming with tears and joy. They were immediately surrounded with warmth and love. I could already tell that they were going to spoil her rotten. This brought a large and endearing smile to my face.

"My goodness, she's going to be a brat." I joked with a wide smile.

But deep down I couldn't have been happier by the outcome. So she didn't get a mom. But she certainly got two amazing dads who would love her and cherish every second. They would guide and protect her, just like me. I was happy to have them on my team.

* * *

_**Time sequence: Present**_

They were in the midst of battle, arguing like it was nobody's business in the middle of the hallway. I stood across the hall, leaning up against a locker, watching intently. For the past week they had been like this. I didn't even know what the hell it was that they were fighting about. Clearly they didn't have a clue either since all they were doing was throwing punches. I pulled my gaze away from the intense couple and watched the other students eagerly running about the hall, getting ready for classes. Dozens of people passed by me, completely invisible to the naked eye, as it should be. There was only 5 minutes left until classes started. I couldn't have been happier about it. Watching these two go at it was absolutely boring.

From out of the corner of my eye a figure swooped down beside me. It was my fellow colleague and personal friend. I could spot her greenish purple aura from across the hall. Her small brown and yellow wings contracted with a loud thud. Beside me, she eyed the couple in front of us.

"Are they still at it?" she asked, with an apprehensive tone.

"Yes." I nodded.

"Could they be any more obvious though?" she commented.

I was a bit confused by her statement. "What do you mean?" I asked.

She shifted, smirking in the process. "This argument has nothing to do with anything. They are fighting for no reason. Can't you see the agitation they both have? There is an unspoken sexual tension that's lingering between them. That's why it is obvious. They're fighting about sex."

"What?" I scoffed out in disbelief. "No way!" I argued.

"Oh, come on! Look at them! Their hormones are going crazy! Any moment they're going to rip each other's clothing off and go at it like wild monkeys."

I groaned a bit repulsed by the idea. "Rachel isn't like that alright. She's not that kind of girl. Sex isn't even on her mind."

She was smirking again. "So now you can read her thoughts as well?"

"No of course not! It's just that I know Rachel. I know everything that there is to know about her. I've been by her side 24/7. Right now, sex isn't in her plan." I pointed out.

"You and I both know that, that is a load of bullshit." She threw back. With a heavy sigh she looked at me with knowing eyes. "Rachel is a human being just like everyone else. She's 17 years old and has raging hormones. And that is to be expected. But one of these days she will have sex. It may not be today or tomorrow but one day she will. There will be no stopping it."

I rolled my eyes. "I know that! And I'm not saying she won't, I'm just saying that…"

"What? That she isn't obsessed with sex?" she replied back

"Yes!" I answered.

Both of us looked over at the young couple. The air was charging with heat by the minute. Rachel's face was turning bright pink while her boyfriend's chest was rapidly beating. Sexual tension was in the air, and you could see it in their eyes. They wanted each other. BAD….

"Well it looks like you might be wrong." She taunted.

Just then the bell rang. Easily the couple broke apart and entered back into reality. Rachel was running her fingers through her hair as a sign of frustration. Sam was eyeing her expectantly, both of his large arms crossed across his broad chest.

"I'll just see you at lunch." Rachel huffed out.

"Fine. But we're not done here." Sam threw out before he took off down the hall.

Rachel slammed her locker shut and took off in the direction of her class. My friend and I slowly walked down the hall as it began clearing out. There was a small silence that lingered until the hallway was completely quiet.

"Where is your charge?" I asked a little curious. "She's going to be late for class."

I could hear the long groan she puffed out just before she spoke. "She's having sex with the Mohawk guy."

"PUCK? That's gross." I stated.

"Yeah, tell me about it. It's super annoying. I swear sometimes I wish I could swoop down and smack the shit out of her. She's fucking stupid! Clearly she has these strong feelings for Brittany, but she's refusing to accept them. And all the while, she is failing to realize that Brittany is feeling the same. It's so frustrating!"

I nodded in agreement. "They're not perfect."

"No, they're not. But they are good kids. It's just that they have these damn hormones and don't know what to do with them. They've got too much time on their hands."

"And little do they know that it all goes by in a flash." I finished.

There was a long building silence that happened between us as we stopped at the front entrance of school. My friend was observing me with a close eye. "I heard from upstairs that you got selected for pilgrimage. Congratulations!"

"I heard you did as well." I shot back, avoiding the compliment.

"Do you think ours will happen at the same time?" she asked a little excitedly.

"I don't know." I sighed out.

"You don't seem very excited about it." She threw out.

"I'm not."

"You do realize that this is a great privilege right? I mean out of all of us, we were chosen for this. We get the chance to experience…"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. We get the honor and chance to experience human life first hand for an entire year." I mocked.

"Don't belittle this. This is important!" she argued.

"For who? Huh? The way I see it, it's going to make my job a lot harder than necessary."

"We aren't going to be protecting our charges while we are human. The point to pilgrimage is that we get to do what WE want to do. For years we've spent watching from up above, observing as all these mortals live their lives. They get to make their own choices and experience love and friendship. They get to feel things and EAT things! And now, we are going to be the lucky few who get the chance to finally experience it for ourselves. "

I groaned and rolled my invisible eyes. "I could care less about the human experience. Right now, all I care about is Rachel. She is my only priority. And this pilgrimage is only going to get in the way of that. Having those human feelings, getting to live their life, it's going to suck. The world is dark and a cruel place at times and I've seen my fair share of bad things. Life is never going to be what you expect. And it's for that reason why I made a promise to Rachel. I'm not going back out on that."

She heaved out a long sigh. "Someone is acting like a self righteous bitch."

"I don't mean to be ungrateful about it Temperance. If my pilgrimage had come before or even after Rachel, then I would take it with grace and enjoy every moment. But I can't see myself as happy about this, not now. Not when it's my duty to protect her."

Temperance sighed again, this time expanding her wings to the fullest. Compared with mine hers were a lot smaller. It was due to the fact that she was only 128 light years. She was practically a baby but somehow she was wise beyond her years. I should've probably listened to her more often and taken her advice. But right now my stubbornness was winning out and I couldn't listen to another word she said. "Well you don't have much of a choice Guardian Quianna. You'd better wrap your head around that. Any day now this pilgrimage will happen and you'd better be prepared."

A moment later she flew up, and took off toward the sky. She left me with thousands of thoughts. There was no getting out of it. And I couldn't help but feel torn about it. It's a dream come true for angles like us to get this honor. I could understand the relief and joy of getting a vacation, because that's what it was. But at what expense? Sure there were dozens of things that I had been dying to do if I ever got the chance to become human. I had a list just like all of us angels did. But what about Rachel? I knew that once I was human there would be someone to care for her, a substitute. But could that person care for her as I do?

I didn't know, and that's what scared me the most…

* * *

**Another chapter up... comments and reviews would be really lovely! I'm going to try and keep posting in a timely manner. But I make no promises. Let me know peeps! Love ya! **


	3. Can You See Me Now?

**Ch 3 Can You See Me Now?**

* * *

The sun was high above the sky on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. Almost everyone in the small town was up and about, running errands and such. Rachel Berry strolled down the sidewalk with a bright large smile on her face. Every person she came into contact with she would greet with a chirpy hello. Not far behind was her shadow with wings.

Together they walked in silence. A fresh breeze caught the ends of Rachel's hair and for a brief moment guardian Quianna could almost smell it. Or maybe it was just her imagination. She didn't give it much more thought because Rachel veered off and entered into a cake shop. The walls were painted with a bright orange color and the counter tops were lit up with lime green stripes. A wonderful aroma of fresh baked goods drifted through the air. Rachel stopped for a second and took in a large breath, sniffing the wondrous smell, enjoying every bit of it. The angel studied her for a second, wondering about the smell. _What did it smell like? _

Guardian Quianna stood towards the front door of the room, eyeing Rachel as she made her way to the counter. She took in the scene, looking around at the shop. There were very few people in here, mostly families with their kids. They all looked happy. Quianna continued scanning the room until she came across a pair of wide blue eyes that were on her. The angel looked behind herself. No one was there. Once again she directed her gaze back to the person, a little girl. She was staring directly at her. The angel shifted in her spot, eyeing the girl with a curious look. _Could she actually see me?_

Her answer was confirmed when the little girl smiled at her. Quianna froze for a moment, unable to determine what to do. She had only been seen once in her life. This made the second. There were no rules that governed what to do in these situations. They weren't meant to happen, for good reason. Yet here she was once again, for the second time in her entire existence, being seen by a mortal. The little girl waved her over with a cheery smile. She couldn't have been older than 9 years old. Quianna calmly walked over with a curious eye. Just as she reached the girl she bent down on her knees, eye level with her. The dark haired girl was sitting back in her wheel chair. Upon close examination the angel could see the paleness of the girl's skin. Her cheekbones were narrow, eyes tired. Her hair was tugged into a smug little pony tail. She had a small, willowy frame. She looked as fragile as a Christmas tree ornament. Her aura was an almost pasty gray color.

"Hi, my name is Lana. What's your name?" the little girl asked with an airy voice.

"I'm Quianna." The guardian replied.

The little girl smiled and giggled really loudly. "I really like your wings."

Quianna smiled briefly before Lana started spurting out a loud and heavy cough. It rattled through Lana's chest, burning her with every breath she took. There was pain behind those blue eyes. Immediately the guardian placed her 'hand' upon Lana's head. A warm tingling sensation shot out through her fingertips and into the girl.

"There that should feel better." Quianna responded.

The little girl looked away for a brief second. She bit on her lower lip, deep in thought. Her small fragile hands shook involuntarily as she eyed her parents from across the room. "I'm going to die aren't I?" she asked.

Quianna pulled back. She doesn't know what to say or how to respond to that. Lana got the hint and closed her eyes. Small tears trickled down her face. When she opened them her gaze was back on the angel. "It's okay, I know I am. I can feel it. Is it going to hurt?" she asked with a wheezy voice.

The guardian shook her head. "No it'll be like going to sleep."

Lana gave a small smile. "I like sleeping. I have a really soft bed. My mommy bought me Princess Elsa sheets. She sleeps with me every night."

"I'll bet she does." The guardian nodded.

The little girl tugged at the small piece of hair that had fallen across her face. She looked at the angel with an intensity that no nine year old should ever have. "I'm not scared. My daddy said that I'm the bravest princess in the world. He even bought me a crown. It's the most beautiful thing in the world! It's covered in jewels. I'm sure you would like it."

"Yes, I'm sure I would Princess Lana."

Lana paused for a moment, glancing over at her parents at the counter. "What's going to happen to my mommy and daddy?"

"They are going to stay here for a little bit longer until one day they meet you again."

"I know that we will see each other again someday. But I'm talking about right now. Won't they miss me? How am I supposed to leave them when they need me right now?" Lana questioned.

Quianna paused for a second. She looked around the room. Rachel had finished ordering and was waiting for her cake. No doubt that it would be a vegan fig and almond cheesecake. It was her favorite. The angel directed her gaze back to the girl with a steady stance. "Your parents will miss you a lot. They will think about you every day. Not a moment will pass when you're not in their thoughts. They will always carry a piece of you within their hearts. All the moments you shared together will be with them forever. They will always love you, and care for you no matter what happens."

Lana wiped away the small tears on her face. She nodded her head and bravely put on her warrior face. The guardian noticed. For such a small girl, it was sad to know she had one. She knew that look well. Rachel had developed the same look a long time ago when she was surrounded by snow. It was a face, a mask that had been created to hide, which she was currently using more of on a daily basis.

"Will you check in on them from time to time?" Lana asked.

"Yes, I will." The guardian answered.

By that time Rachel had finally gotten her order. Quianna stood, giving the smaller girl a tight smile. Her parents were making their way back to the little girl, her birthday cake in tow. As the angel and Rachel walked out the door, she gave one final look at the girl. And then she left.

* * *

_**Later that night… **_

A cool breeze wafted through the open window, blowing dark purple curtains away. The full moon lit up every ounce of darkness in the room. Inside, a slumbering child awaited, tucked away in a soft warm bed. Guardian Quianna and Temperance stood quietly by the end of the bed. There were at least ten other angels along with them that filled the room. The little girl on the bed breathed heavily releasing a loud shaky wheeze in the process. A second later, she took in a final breath. Nothing but silence could be heard as the little girl's body finally gave out. All heads bowed in prayer. In the corner of the room was a wheelchair.

An empty wheelchair.

"Goodnight Princess Lana." Guardian Quianna whispered.

* * *

_**Time sequence: Rachel Berry, Age 7**_

_It happened once before. It was long ago, almost ten years ago….. _

Rachel was seven years old. The sun was baking against her skin as her little frame ran around the jungle set gym. Her red and white polka dotted dress stood out before all others. The red little ribbons in her hair blew against the wind as she climbed up the stairs. Just as she reached the top step a force immediately pushed her back. Rachel fell and hit the sand. A tall boy with dark hair and rosy red cheeks appeared from the top of the jungle gym.

"Ha-ha! You're just a dumb girl! You can't beat me! I'm king of the jungle. Now get out of here loser before everybody trips over your big nose!" the boy shouted.

Tears fell from Rachel's small face. Finn Hudson was making fun of her again. Rachel quickly stood up and rushed off to the bathroom. Guardian Quianna followed close behind.

When the guardian entered, she spotted little Rachel sitting in the corner of the bathroom, crying. The girl's face was bright red, hands covering her face. This was the fifth time that he had pushed her this year. Quianna shook her head and waddled over to the sink, fuming with anger.

"What a meanie! I can't believe he did that to you! Boy's aren't supposed to hit girls!" Quianna stated with a heavy tone.

Rachel immediately perked up. Her face lifted and looked at the new person in the room. Brown eyes went wide with shock. She didn't realize that somebody had come in with her. She wiped away her tears, watching the young girl at the sink. The other girl had long wavy blonde hair, almost to her hip. She was wearing a very pretty white and pink sundress. She looked about her age. But she had never seen this girl before. She knew for a fact that this girl didn't go to this school. _Maybe she's new? _

Quianna was in a world of her own as she paced across the spans of the bathroom, completely oblivious to Rachel's keen eyes. "I swear, if I could, I would have hit him in the face! Who even does that? Geesh! Why do people have to be so mean to each other! It makes no sense. " the guardian angrily threw out.

Rachel sniffed loudly before nodding her head in agreement. "Some people are just afraid of other people who are different." Rachel responded.

Quianna froze. Her eyes narrowed with confusion. **Did she just…. ** The blonde shook her head. _There's no way….._ The guardian quickly shook off the coincidental response and continued pacing. Rachel observed the girl with a curious glance.

"If I were here, I'd be her friend. Then no one would hurt her again." Quianna sighed with a heavy thought.

"Hurt who?" Rachel asked.

This time the guardian looked over. Immediately she was shocked and surprised because Rachel Berry was looking right at her. Small eyes flew around the room. Was there somebody else in here that she wasn't aware of? Quianna turned around in a few circles, looking around. She even went as far as looking underneath the stalls. Rachel giggled at the blonde's antics.

"What are you doing?" Rachel asked.

Quianna paused, glancing over at Rachel again. Those bright brown eyes were looking right at her again. There was no denying it.

"Are you talking to me?" Quinn asked a little hesitantly.

Rachel nodded her head like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"You can see me?" Quianna questioned, a bit amazed.

Rachel giggled and slowly stood to her feet. "You're funny. I like you! My name is Rachel Berry! And you are?"

The guardian froze, taken by surprise once again. "My name is Quianna." She stated.

"Wow, that's an interesting name. It sounds nice. That's different!" Rachel's eyes shot to the ceiling after a moment. Quianna knew immediately what the other girl was doing. She was thinking about something big. "Whose class are you in? I don't think I've ever seen you around before. Are you new?"

This was real. And it was happening. The angel was speechless.

"Hey? Are you okay?" Rachel asked with a worried tone.

Their eyes met. They were looking at each other. Like really looking at each other. It was an odd sort of thing to have somebody looking back at you, especially if it was Rachel. Her warmth and kindness radiated off of her, flowing freely. She was smiling at the angel like she was the best thing in the world. Her brown eyes lit up with the potential of a new friend. If only she knew. The guardian didn't know how long this would last. Any second could be the last.

"Can you really see me?" the angel asked in a hoarse voice.

"Yes!" Rachel replied again.

She still didn't believe her. But she was having a real life conversation with her. She was actually talking to Rachel and getting a response. There was no explanation for it. "You're not supposed to be able to see me." Quianna stated.

"And why not?" Rachel asked, a bit confused.

"Because we'd be breaking the rules." The guardian replied back easily.

Little Rachel bit her lip, deep in the thought. Her forefinger gently tapped at the edge of her chin in a slow and steady rhythm. She only did this when she was trying to understand something but really didn't want to ask. She didn't want to embarrass herself. It was understandable. Rachel didn't really have many friends at her age. She wanted to tread lightly.

"You must be in Mrs. Carson's class. I heard she is a big stickler for rules. A fellow classmate told me that she made Carter Peter's pee in his pants for not letting him use the restroom." Rachel interpreted.

"Yeah…. sure." Quianna nodded, not really knowing what to say.

There was a brief moment when both of the girls looked at each other. The blonde was still confused as ever, a tight face shown. Her shoulders were tense and she still hadn't moved from her spot. She looked weary and very hesitant. On the other hand Rachel stood before her, studying the blonde with interest. She didn't know why, but she liked the girl. Right off the back there was something really special about her. She could feel it. This girl was very important. The edges of Rachel's face started to crinkle, her dimples formed as a large megawatt smile came into view.

The guardian broke the heavy contact, leaving her gaze far from Rachel. She was glad for the moment that she wasn't a mortal. Feelings weren't really her style. "For what it's worth, I think you should stay away from that guy. He only wants to hurt you. He's mean and calls you names. He's never going to be your friend. He only thinks about himself. In fact, anyone who's mean to you doesn't deserve to be your friend. You deserve more. You shouldn't let people treat you like that."

Rachel nodded her head in agreement, eyes blazing with fire. "I know that. But what can I do? I'm not going to resort to violence to get them back. My daddy said that wasn't the way to go. I can't control people. People are going to do what they are going to do. The best that I can do is to work with it."

Guardian Quianna huffed with a bit of annoyance. Rachel really should learn how to fight. That would make things a lot easier. "Just be careful out there Rachel. Not everybody is what they seem."

The brunette nodded, her eyes shifting over to the sink. Her face burned pink as she pinched her lips together. "Will you be my new friend?" she asked with hesitancy.

The guardian brought her gaze up, a smile lighting her face. She didn't really know what to tell her. This moment was about to fade. Time was running out. "I would be honored." She spoke.

Rachel jumped up in joy and threw a fist into the air. "Cool! After school today meet me by the tree out front. I can ask my daddy to take us to get some ice cream. Does that sound okay?"

"Yes." The angel responded.

The brunette spun on her heels before quickly waving to the blonde. "I'll see you after school friend!" Rachel announced with enthusiasm.

Quianna looked back at the girl with a sad smile. "Goodbye Rachel."

_It was the last time that she ever saw me…._

* * *

**Comments, REVIEWS!? Let me know what's up! Love ya peeps! Until next time…**


	4. Reality

**Ch4 Reality**

* * *

_**Time Sequence: Present**_

It was lunch time and Rachel needed time to herself. Lately her classes had been pummeling her with loads of homework. Not only was she trying to get everything done but she was also creating a set list for regional. The brunette was sitting alone in the auditorium. This was the only place she came to when she needed to work. She sat at the piano, fingers plunging into keys while she quietly hummed.

She played a few more notes, scratching down ideas on her notepad. Her angel laid across the stage floor, listening to her. Rachel's breath was calm and even, despite the fact that her thoughts were all over the place. You could practically see her thinking. It was clear something was on the diva's mind but she wasn't showing it. Something was bothering her. Quianna knew that at any moment she was about to explode. Second by second Rachel's heartbeat started racing.

Suddenly, the diva roughly threw her pen across the stage and stood up on her feet, completely furious. Her hands shakily grabbed her notes and ripped them up into several pieces. A loud and frustrated roar raged out from inside the girl. She was shaking uncontrollably. Her eyes shifted back and forth across the stage. She didn't get the point to all of this. No matter how hard she worked, how hard she pushed herself, no one was ever going to take her seriously. Her fellow classmates, teachers, and 'friends' never appreciated ANYTHING that she did. She had put in the time, the effort, and even went above and beyond. And for what? What was she getting out of this?

"You need to relax and breathe." Quianna stated evenly.

"This is ridiculous! I can't even concentrate!" Rachel huffed out, rubbing her eyes with exhaustion.

"You're thinking too much!" the angel pointed out.

"I don't even know why I even bother! It's obvious I'm not going to get anything done today." Rachel sighed, eventually plopping herself down on the stage.

"Does this have anything to do with Sam?"

The girl didn't respond as usual. Instead she gathered her things and pushed it off to the side. She returned once again to the piano and started playing a soft and beautiful melody. Quianna gazed over at Rachel, studying her. The girl was flustered. Her mind was working fast. What was she thinking about? There weren't many things that could elicit such a response from Rachel like that. What could? Guardian Temperance's words came back with a haunting bite. The angel eyed Rachel with a skeptical frown. Was this really about sex?

Quianna groaned at the thought. Why did everything come down to sex when it involved humans? It seemed like everyone was obsessed with it. And she didn't know why. Yes, sex was important to reproduce and keep the human generations alive. It was meant to connect two people into one. But now, people were using it every day, abusing the very nature of it for sexual instant gratification. It was sickening and quite disgusting.

_See you calling again_  
_I don't wanna pick up, no oh_  
_I've been laying in bed_  
_Probably thinking too much, oh oh_  
_Sorry I'm not sorry for the times_  
_I don't reply_  
_You know the reason why_

Quianna closed her eyes automatically, her thoughts stopping instantaneously. Listening to Rachel's sweet voice sent her into silent coma. Her voice wrapped around her like a smug warm blanket. It rang beauty in her spirit.

_Maybe you shouldn't come back_  
_Maybe you shouldn't come back to me_  
_Tired of being so sad_  
_Tired of getting so mad, baby_  
_Stop right now_  
_You'll only let me down, oh oh_  
_Maybe you shouldn't come back_  
_Maybe you shouldn't come back to me_

The words were haunting, real, and raw. There was an edginess to it that would have made any mortal shed a tear. Anyone else would have just heard the song and melody. But to it, there was more. No one else could hear the dying sadness within the girl. Or the pain that she secretly withheld from her close ones. The loneliness was real and biting at the edge of reality. Her anger and bitter resentment came calling out. A part of her blamed herself.

No, this had nothing to do with Sam. Quianna knew what it was.

_Trying not to forget_  
_Should be easier than this, oh oh_  
_And all the birthdays you've missed_  
_I was only a kid, oh oh_  
_Sorry I'm not sorry for the times_  
_I don't reply_  
_You know the reason why_

From her spot, the guardian spotted tears falling down Rachel's face. She was on the edge of breaking down. The brunette's fingers tumbled over the keys as she tried to control the waging war that was happening inside of her.

_Maybe you shouldn't come back to me_

* * *

The glee club meeting was in full effect with the exception that nearly half the club was missing. Kurt, Mercedes, and Mike were the only ones there, including Rachel. They were all seated, chatting among themselves in the choir room, waiting for Mr. Schue. Out in the hall guardian Quianna stood. All the students had nearly cleared out from the long day. Tomorrow the weekend would commence. Through the walls, the angel could feel Rachel's annoyance. Hardly anyone was showing up to glee anymore due to the fact that they lost nationals last year. Her teammates were losing faith. They didn't believe they could win. So what was the point?

Quianna spotted Santana running down the hall. The Latina poked her head into the room for a brief second. She was probably checking to see if Brittany was there. When she didn't see her she quickly took off down the hall. At the same time Mr. Schue came waltzing down with a pile of folders in his hands. He shuffled into the room. The meeting shouldn't last more than an hour. Quianna stared out through a nearby window in the desolate hallway. She was watching a few guys outside who were running around and throwing a Frisbee across the green grass. She recognized a few of them, those who were supposed to be at the meeting. Puck, Sam, Blaine and Finn huddled together in a big group. They looked like they were having fun. The angel secretly wished she could join them.

Suddenly loud voices came from down the hall. Quianna glanced back. All the glee kids were leaving the choir room. The glee meeting must have been cancelled. The guardian sighed out, and took one last glance at the boys down below on the grass. She tore herself away and slowly walked down the hall. Rachel had already left the school.

"I know right? She's such a bitch! Sometimes, I wish she would just shut the fuck up!" Kurt commented with his high pitched voice.

"She should realize the world doesn't revolve around her." Mercedes added in.

"I don't even see why she's putting in all of this work. You know? It's not like Mr. Schue is ever going to give in to her. She's wasting her time. It's sad to say, but it's true. We are never going to win Nationals. The sooner Rachel Berry accepts that, the better off we all are."

Mercedes nodded and hummed in agreement. "Rachel needs to live in reality."

Guardian Quianna zoomed in on Mercedes. With a flick of her hand she sent a slow force the girl's way. A moment later the girl's purse fell to the floor, all her contents scattering across the hall. The girl groaned in annoyance, bending over to pick up her stuff. Kurt helped her out.

"Fucking bitch." Quianna stated as she flew off in the direction of Rachel.

* * *

When they both entered the house, Rachel was already apprehensive. The garage was still empty which indicated that no one was home. The place was eerily quiet as usual. Of course Rachel had gotten use to it. But after today, her emotions were fragile. And at the moment she couldn't stand it anymore. The silence was overbearing. Rachel walked upstairs to her room. There was an emptiness that seemed to follow her. The house rang cold, and dark. The emptiness of the house was seeping into her skin. She hated going home. There was nothing to come home to.

No, she wasn't fine.

Rachel threw her bags inside her room and shut the door. She flung herself onto the bed. She didn't even bother taking off her shoes. Instead, she pulled her phone out and placed it on the bedside table. Her head hit the pillow, her large brown eyes on the phone. She waited. For nearly an hour she did nothing but stare at the phone. Another half hour had passed before it finally perked up.

The diva grabbed the phone, reading the text message with wide eyes, her heart racing.

_**Sorry sweetheart, I won't be able to make it this weekend. Work has got me stuck here. Next weekend for sure. I promise! Love you- Dad**_

The disappointment in Rachel's face was immediate. She threw her phone across the room and angrily yelled out into the dark room. Her body was shaking as the tears gruesomely fell down. Her hands clutched at her pillow as fresh tears dampened the soft cotton.

She hasn't seen him in almost two months.

Quianna sat beside Rachel on the bed. The girl was breaking down. It was finally getting to her. The guardian wrapped her arms and wings around the girl, even though she knew that Rachel couldn't feel it. And neither could she but at least it was something. From the tips of her fingertips a warm soothing energy flowed out and into Rachel. A moment later her breathing started to even out. The angel could sense her thoughts slowing down. In no time Rachel fell asleep. Quianna watched her and tried to move a strand of hair from her face. She couldn't do it. No matter how many times she tried, she couldn't touch it or move it. After about the 10th time she gave up.

A small smile filled her face. Rachel looked so peaceful. She almost looked like she was 8 years old again. She was growing into a fantastic woman and the angel couldn't have been any prouder. Throughout the years, life had thrown curve balls and challenges at the young diva. Yet she fought it, and stood through it. No matter what she faced she did it with a smile, and a never ending positive attitude. It was something to be admired.

Out of nowhere, voices began singing. Quianna straightened herself up from the bed, looking around in confusion. It was almost like a choir like tone. It started out low, soft, and melodic. But all too soon the voices grew in volume. Thousands were heard and sung. It grew so loud that it rattled the walls of the house. Quianna covered her 'ears', but couldn't block out the sound. She looked down, Rachel was still fast asleep. She couldn't hear a thing.

The bed started shaking. A weird feeling started taking place inside the angel's chest. There was a strong burning type of pain, one that she had never experienced before. It felt like she was on fire. The feeling began burning through her, shooting all the way to her fingertips. A moment later she was lifted up off the bed, completely surrounded by a bright beam of light. Then a huge and powerful pulse zapped through her. A loud gasp escaped from her throat as she took in a breath of air.

"RACHEL!" she screamed.

And then all she saw was nothing but white…

* * *

**Until next time? Review, review, review my lovelies…. The story is just beginning! **

**Music: Demi Lovato- Maybe you shouldn't come back**


	5. Good Morning!

**Ch 5 Good Morning Quinn Fabray!**

* * *

The first thing that happened was that my eyes opened. Morning sun drew in through the window and spilled across the ceiling like a painted vase. The edges of my eyes burned fiercely with the light, wetness immediately followed. There seemed to be a cool breeze in the air that felt wonderful against my warm flesh. An odd thought occurred to me. I was breathing. I was actually breathing air.

All too soon, I was met with a sudden heaviness. Again this feeling seemed odd. It felt like I was wearing knight's armor. But that couldn't be because I also felt nothing. Without much effort I lifted my arm into the air. It was drastically heavy, unlike my normal self. I placed my hand across my chest. And that's when things became clear. Beneath my bosom rang a low strum of a heartbeat. My heartbeat.

_I am mortal…_

Automatically my eyes looked around. I was in a foreign room, one that I had never seen before. The walls were painted a deep beige color. On the right side of the wall was a desk that was stocked and ready to use. Dark brown dressers made up the other side of the wall. Despite the few things that were in here the room still felt empty. There were no pictures on the walls or desk. There was no color. To the left side of the room was a door that looked like it led to its own personal bathroom.

I hoisted myself up from the bed, the warmth of the blankets was lost as I untangled myself from them. There was a chill that ran against my naked body and suddenly I was very cold. Ignoring this strange feeling I continued making my way off the bed. My feet hit the carpet. It felt fuzzy between my toes. Without meaning to a smile lifted from my face. It felt weird and oddly entertaining. I stood on my feet and once again the heaviness from this body weighed on me. My eyes spotted a mirror on top of the dresser. I made my way to it with slow and cautious steps.

Upon arrival I was met with another figure, one that was reflected back at me. There was a girl with silky milk flesh and a ray of blonde hair. She was staring at me with wide hazel eyes. They looked like an emerald gem because they were shining so bright. Her face was smooth, creamy, and flawless. Her cheekbones were narrow, defined, and strong. She was beautiful.

_I am beautiful_

Another shiver ran through my body, tearing my gaze away from the mirror and down to my naked flesh. My body was long, slim, and toned. I ran a hand down my chest, over my breasts and down my stomach. My skin felt warm and soft to the touch. Everything felt so smooth. This is what skin felt like. Simple, soft, fragile, and could easily be ripped into shreds. Skin, was nothing more than a mere lacking of armor. My eyes studied my body with interest. There wasn't anything out of place except…. My hands flew to my bare back. A loud gasp escaped from my throat. There was nothing. They were gone.

_My wings are gone_

There was a painful swelling that swept through my chest at the loss of my wings. For angels our wings meant everything. They were a sign of light, life, honor, and duty. They were our gift for the hard work we performed. All the battles that I fought…. the tears….. the blood shed….

It was all gone. I didn't know whether to cry or hit something. Sorrow filled me like poison. It seeped into my veins, burning every inch of me. This must be what death feels like to a mortal. And it is quite devastating. Moisture fell from my eyes. When I looked back in the mirror tears were falling from my face.

It hasn't even been an hour and already mortal life was weighing upon me. Human feelings were overrated and sucked. I was sick of it already. This was beginning to feel like the start of something really horrible. Could I really last an entire year like this? The thought pressed on until I spotted something on the desk. There was a note on top of a small pile of clothes.

_**Put these on… then come out when you're ready **_

I reread the note once again before eyeing the pile of clothes. _ Well, it's not like I can run around naked anyway. I never had to worry about clothes before… This seems ridiculous to me. _One article at a time I slowly dressed myself. Once I was finished I was wearing a gray pair of sweatpants and an old Harvard t-shirt that fitted perfectly. Adding the clothes made me feel even heavier. _I'm just going to have to tough this out. I can do this, I'm Guardian Quianna…. Commanding officer of the elite squadron, protector of the light realm, and guardian to Rachel Barbra Berry. I've fought dozens of wars, and I've waited nearly a thousand years for Rachel. I'm 243 light years, and I have survived through the toughest of times. I can survive one year as a human. This is nothing. I can do this… _

My fingers wrapped against the cool metal of the door knob.

"Here goes nothing." I whispered to myself.

* * *

The door opened. Immediately a strong aroma of something sweet and salty dangled in the air. I stopped, sniffing the air. My mind was working overtime. What was that delicious smell? Could air smell this wonderful? I followed the scent, passing through a long hallway and into the living room. The room was lit up with the morning light shining through the windows. The walls were made up of a dark cherry wood, a plasma screen hung just above a fireplace. In the middle of the room were white sofas that stood out against the wooden floor. The room was clean and smelled really nice. But that wasn't the scent that caught my nose. I continued walking past the living room and was led into the kitchen. There standing at the stove was a woman, about 5'8'. She had shoulder length hair that looked like dark red fire. Her back was to me as she flipped something on the stove. I watched her with a curious gaze. I had never seen this woman before. She was silently humming a tune while her body swayed back and forth happily.

The moment ended when she turned around, a pair of burning blue eyes on me. She was looking at me. I almost felt the need to look behind me to see who else was there but I knew I was the only other person in the room. The woman smiled at me, her dimples forming in the process. _I'm still never going to get use to people seeing me_. _This feels too damn weird_. And it really did.

"You should take a seat. Breakfast will be done in five." The girl spoke with a soft angelic voice.

Already I was shaking my head. "It's okay, I don't ea-" but my words were cut short by the loud rumbling noise that groaned in the pit of my stomach. _Fucking traitorous body! _

She smiled knowingly. "You do now. So take a seat. You can call me Lilly."

_Lilly. Now that is a beautiful name, perfect fit for a beautiful girl. _There wasn't much I could say after that debut, so I took a seat at the island kitchen, silently watching her work. She picked up her soft melody from earlier and continued humming to the sizzling sounds of breakfast. The smell was making my stomach squeeze tighter with anticipation. My body was already acting on a mind of its own. My mouth was practically salivating and my palms were a bit tingling. Lilly flung off the stove, shoveling all the contents onto two plates. She swiftly turned and set down a plate in front of me. On the plate was a small stack of pancakes, two slices of bacon, and a small yellow crumbled up pile of eggs. I eyed the plate then her. She lifted a dark brow and waited expectantly.

"Well, are ya going to try it or are ya just gonna keep starin at it all morning." Lilly asked, her voice heavy with a southern drawl.

She smiled at me with a charming touch. My face began to heat up with embarrassment. _What the hell, bottoms up then. _Picking up the utensil, I plunged my fork into the pile of pancakes. The tip of the metal easily slid through. Once I placed a small piece into my mouth it melted like butter. A low moan rumbled from my throat. This tasted like heaven. With a lick of my lips I could still taste the sticky sweetness from the syrup.

"This is amazing!" I rushed out with excitement.

Blue eyes lit up delight. "I'm glad ya think so. I was a lil worried ya wouldn't like it." Lilly replied with relief.

"No, you did very well!"

Lilly nodded in agreement before grabbing her own plate and sliding into the seat next to me. We both quietly ate in silence, gathering up our thoughts before the drilling started. I took my first bite into the bacon. My eyes closed in complete bliss as a wave of crispy saltiness overwhelmed my taste buds.

"I am in love with bacon." I stated with finality.

From beside me, she giggled softly before shaking her head. "I'll bet. But ya can't have too much of it. It's bad for ya."

I hummed in agreement. "Doesn't the saying go about how the bad things for you taste good?" I asked.

"Yeah, it's something like that." Lilly responded.

"Well I think that's ridiculous because bacon is spectacular."

* * *

There was a small moment of silence as we each finished up our plates. Lilly stood from her seat, gathering all the plates in the process. She placed them into the sink and quickly washed them off. Once she was done she stood on the opposite side from me, leaning against the counter, her blue eyes on me. I was in the spotlight again and I hated it. From where I sat I could finally study the girl up close. Her skin was pale, silky and smooth. The stark contrast of her dark fire hair made her skin glow. She was wearing a dark green shirt that was rolled up at the arms and a pair of dark shorts. Her hair was down and flowing like a red river of fire. There was a distinct beauty mark underneath her left eye that brought out her long dark lashes. Lilly smiled once again, revealing her pearly white teeth.

"I guess we should start then. As I said before my name is Lilly, Lilly Waters, and I'll be yer Keeper for the remainder of the time that yer here." She started off.

"My keeper, what's that again?" I asked, trying to reign in my memory.

Lilly nodded with understanding. "My job is sort of like a human guide/ mentor. I'm supposed to look after you while yer in yer human form."

"So then you know about me."

The red headed girl quickly shook her head, casting a weary gaze at me. "I don't know the specifics, just the basics. I'm not allowed to know anythin' more than that." She answered.

I nodded slowly, looking away from the girl. _That's good to know I guess…. _"So, how long ago did I arrive?"

"Your body popped up in my guest bedroom about 2 weeks ago. You've been asleep since then." She replied back.

My eyes drifted back to her. "So you've been expecting me."

Lilly bit her bottom lip, blinking once then twice. "Yes I have. I got notice that you would be coming soon. I didn't know exactly when so I made room in the guest bedroom for ya. Then one day you just popped up and there you were."

"Hmmm, that's weird." I heaved out.

"Do you remember anything about how it happened?" she asked, with bright eyes.

"Not a damn thing. All I remember is just waking up in your guest room." I muttered out.

The girl sighed before rubbing the edge of her eye. "Well that's alright. I guess it just wasn't meant for ya to remember. On to the next thing….For the time being, I've developed a small lil profile for ya. Seeing as how you look young, I'm going to guess that you're in your teen years."

"How do you know that?" I asked with curiosity.

"I'm just guessing. But just to make sure, how old is your charge."

"17." I replied back.

"Okay, that makes you 17 as well." She announced.

I was confused. "I'm sorry, I don't quite understand what you mean."

Lilly pursed her lips together and then smiled warmly. "You are a reflection of what your charge is. Well at least to a point. Age wise, she is the same as you. Your external figure is what she identifies with. Personality wise, that is all up to you. You get to do or be whoever you want."

"I guess that kind of makes sense. But what about the profile? Why do I need it?"

"You are going to be around a lot of people. They are going to ask questions. We don't need anyone getting suspicious about you. After all you did just come out of nowhere. You're going to need to blend in. That's why I made you a cover story. It's a basic where you've been in your life, where you've lived and all that good stuff."

A large puff of air rushed out through my lungs. "People don't honestly care about that kind of stuff." I stated.

The other girl shook her head in disagreement. "Well I'm afraid in your case they might. You're a very attractive woman. People will flock around you because of the light energy that you carry. It draws people. And you popping up here into a town like this, might raise some suspicions. It's best to have a cover story."

"You mean lie." I corrected.

"Yes. You can't tell anyone the truth." She pointed out.

"I don't think I feel very comfortable with that." I sighed.

"I know but you don't have much of a choice. No one can know who you are, especially your charge."

She had a point. But I didn't like the fact that I would have to be lying to people. _People lie to each other every day. What difference would this make? _

"So I'm assuming that you're going to be staying here in Lima then?" Lilly brought up.

"Yes." I nodded.

"Why?" she questioned.

"What do you mean why?" I asked, raising my brow at her in a challenging sort of way.

She looked at me with a pointed look and knowing eyes. "You could go anywhere in the world. Why would you want to stay stuck in a small town like this?"

I didn't respond to her because of the way she was looking at me. She already knew why I was staying. I didn't need to say it. But I knew she was going to ask anyway.

"Is it because of your charge?" she asked.

I nodded in agreement, bringing my eyes down to the counter. I was waiting for it, the lecture that would soon come from this. I've been hearing it my entire life. And it didn't change one bit.

"I should also put this out there, as a warning. You need to be careful with your charge. The two of you will have an instant bond. And it could make things difficult, and complicated, especially now that you're in human form. You're going to be going through some changes. Feelings will arise that may or may not conflict with your charge. I'm not saying that you should stay away from them, nor am I saying to get involved with their life. It's really not my place to say. But it's best not to get too close to them. Keep your distance if you can. And try not to hurt anyone. Remember, you're not on the job anymore."

"I don't have any intention of hurting her." I threw out.

Lilly paused, her eyes studying me with a lot of expression. She smiled a bit before looking off to the side. "What's her name?"

"Rachel." I breathed out.

The girl's face fell slightly as one of her fingers traced a pattern on the counter. "You may not have any intention of hurting Rachel, but I can guarantee that if you do stay here someone will get hurt."

"I can keep my distance from her." I stated firmly.

"You might not have a choice. The connection between you two will be very strong. It's going to draw you both together like a magnet. It's going to be hard to stay away from each other." She concluded.

"I'll be fine. I'm staying here."

Lilly nodded and clapped her hands together with a single motion. "Okay. Am I also to assume that you will be going to the local high school then?"

I nodded.

"Great, I will start setting up all the paperwork and stuff. Now we will move on then…"

"To what?" I asked.

She smirked, her eyes rolling to the side. "Your body will be going through some changes…." She started off.

_Oh G#$ we're actually having the sex talk…._ "Look, Lilly, as much as I would love to hear what you've got to say on the matter I'm just going to have to stop you there. I've been around humans for a while to understand how it works, and what a human body does."

"You do realize that watching is a lot different than actually living it." She pointed out.

"This is going to be a long year isn't it?" I asked abruptly.

"You have no idea." She smirked. "I should also tell you, that your new human name is Quinn Fabray."

"Quinn Fabray." I stated, sounding out the words, feeling them out. "Do I even look like a Quinn Fabray?" I asked, feeling a bit odd.

"You do now." Lilly commented.

"This is definitely going to be a long year Lilly Waters."

"Yes it is Quinn Fabray." She smiled.

We both looked at each other. Immediately laughter rang out into the kitchen. I sat back in my seat as my stomach squeezed tight from the laughter. Small tears fell from the edges of my eyes while my hands grabbed at the pain in my stomach. This wasn't so bad. _I think I can do this! I think I can really do this!_

* * *

**Until next time! Stay tuned in, read, write, and love. Write to me lovelies! **


	6. Until Tomorrow

**Ch 6 Until Tomorrow**

* * *

I still didn't understand why people did this. Why would anyone spend hours on end shopping? It's horrible! For over two hours Lilly and I had been strolling the downtown streets of the small city. We were shopping for clothes and other human necessities that I would need. I had over five bags that were attached to my arms like an anchor. Who knew that shopping was this exhausting? My body was feeling tired, the muscles in my arms were aching. My feet were throbbing like it was nobody's business. I was ready to go home and crawl into a little hole.

Lilly led the way, leaving me trudging behind like a hay stack. Sweat was pouring down from my face from the heat and exertion I was putting out. The red headed girl tossed a quick glance behind, checking on me. She had about as many bags as I did but she looked completely fine. There wasn't even a drop of sweat on her forehead. I knew that this was some kind of weird ritual that girls did. And if we are being honest here, I think it's fucking stupid. Why do girls need so much clothing? It's not like you can actually wear all of them at once! Why do girls feel the need to buy more clothing if they already have it? They're spending money on things they have. Why buy more than what you need? Is it because of how society works today? Girls walking around, seeing what others have, wanting it, needing to have it. Why can't they be happy with what they have?

"You okay back there?" Lilly asked with a bright smile. She waited for me to catch up.

I eyed her with a pointed look. "You're shitting me right? I'm sweating like a pig, my body feels like it's about to give out. I can't even feel my arms." I answered back.

She chuckled. "It just takes practice."

We paused in the middle of the sidewalk. I was greedily gulping down large gaps of air. "Yeah not happening. I'd better have a year's worth of clothes here because I'm not doing this again." I huffed out.

"Don't be so overdramatic." Lilly groaned out.

I scoffed lightly. "Overdramatic? This is insane! Normal people are fucking retarded!"

"Well you'd better get used to it. As we human women say 'Beauty is pain'" she quoted.

"Fuck that." I muttered beneath my breath.

The older woman sighed, adjusting the bags on her arms. Her blue eyes studied me for a quiet moment. "I'm going to get us something to drink. I'll be right back."

I nodded, unsure if I had said or did something wrong. The redheaded girl entered into the nearest smoothie place, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I didn't know whether or not I should follow her. The past couple of days have been frustrating for me. To say the least, anger was becoming a fast and regular feeling. I couldn't help it. Humans are so…. (What's the word?) I sighed not sure how to describe it. I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. All these feelings and emotions I was having have been causing chaos. I couldn't get a logical thought out. Not to mention I was still grieving from the loss of my wings. I still hadn't figured out how to deal with this. With all of it. It was making my chest feel tight.

And that's the reason why Lilly has become the elusive punching bag. My frustration was being directed at her. It wasn't meant to be on purpose, she was just there. It's unfair. I know. But I just have to keep working on it.

My eyes gazed across the street watching people walk past the shops. A long sigh escaped from my throat. Why couldn't my stupid human life be as simple as theirs? Am I doing something wrong? Fuck if I knew. But something had to give. I shifted my head back to the front. A few feet away from me was a girl with long black hair and brown eyes. She was staring at me, like boring into my soul. I felt like I was on display again. It was mind wracking. And she still wasn't looking away. This went on for at least another five minutes. I was already about to sick it to the bitch when her brow went up. She gave me this look, like she was studying me. A weird feeling came over me. This girl seemed familiar. Those eyes….

"Guardian Quianna?" the girl asked with a hesitant tone.

My mouth fell open. _How did she-_ Realization occurred. "Temperance?" I asked a bated breath.

Her brown eyes lit up, her lips forming into a smile. "I actually go by Tina Cohen Chang now."

I backed up a bit. Completely speechless, mind still reeling. Relief swelled within me. Suddenly it felt easier to breathe. I wasn't alone anymore. I smiled, my eyes widening in the process. A new feeling came over me and I felt glad. I almost wept with joy.

"I didn't know you were Asian." I mindlessly blurted out.

The other girl laughed, knowing well. "And you're still a self righteous bitch."

"Actually, I go by Quinn Fabray now. And if you want, you can still add in the self righteous bitch part at the end." I threw out with a smirk.

Tina nodded with approval. "You know, it kind of suits you well."

"Why thank you Tina." I replied back chirpily.

"No problem Quinn." She threw back just as sarcastically.

We both let out a soft chuckle. Eyeing each other's human forms. This was really weird. Yet oddly it was alright.

"So are you just going to stand there like an idiot or are you going to hug me now?" Tina asked with a playful smile.

I dropped my bags and threw my arms around my friend. She smelled like cupcakes. I was starting to get hungry again just thinking about it. She felt warm and soft. This was nice. We pulled back. On closer observation I could clearly see her face. Her darker skin was smooth and almost completely flawless. She had long dark eyelashes. Her hair was a bit wavy giving her an exotic princess look. She was wearing very light makeup to accentuate the color of her eyes. She was very attractive and pleasant to the eye.

"When did you get here?" I asked.

"About four weeks ago. What about you?" she asked.

"Two weeks. I woke up a few days ago."

"Wow! This is awesome!" Tina squealed out with excitement. "I really thought I was going to be alone in this."

"Me too." I nodded.

There was a loud cough that sounded from behind me. We turned. Lilly was standing there bags and drinks in hand. Tina waved at her.

"Is she your keeper?" Tina asked with a bright smile.

Lilly's blue eyes went wide as she threw a look at me. It was a look that I was learning to avoid. It was the look that said I was in deep trouble.

"Yepp." I replied.

"She's hot." Tina commented

"Quinn, what the hell! You don't even know this girl! How much have you told her?" she asked incredulously.

"Hmmm, she's a bit paranoid though." Tina whispered to me.

I sighed, eyeing Tina then Lilly. "Lilly this is my friend Temp- Tina Chang. She and I were acquaintances from a 'while back'." I enunciated the last few words, illustrating my point.

Lilly eyed me for a second before she lifted a brow in question. She looked over at Tina with a skeptical glance. She frowned, the edges of her face crinkling. She was looking her up and down.

"You too?" Lilly questioned.

Tina nodded. "Yep. Fresh from Canada. Moved here a few weeks ago."

The redheaded girl hummed. Silence took over. Everyone took each other in. It was awkward to say the least. But after a while, there seemed to be a group consensus of overall awareness.

"Well I should get going. My keeper is expecting me." Tina broke out.

I nodded, a little sad to see her go.

"Why don't you come over tonight for dinner?" Lilly asked.

Tina brightened up immediately. So did I. "Sure." She responded back. The girl quickly dug into her pocket, pulling out her phone. "Just add your digits in."

I scoffed. "I don't have a phone."

Lilly grabbed the phone and put her number in. "That's actually our next stop."

I groaned, wanting to bang my head into the wall.

"See you tonight at dinner!"Tina exclaimed.

"Yeah you too!" I nodded in agreement.

* * *

Steam was rising up from the boiling pot. The warm moisture stung my face like lava. I pulled back from the stove. Tina eyed the pot like it had grown fangs.

"How do you know when it's done?" I asked skeptically.

"Duh, even I know this. You throw it up at the ceiling. If it sticks it's good to go. If it falls it's not done yet." Tina stated.

"Na, uh. Ya'll ain't gonna be throwing food in that kitchen. Just scoop out a noodle and eat it." Lilly called out from the living room.

Tina's eyes got big. "But it's hot." She stated.

"Blow on it." Lilly answered back.

Tina rolled her eyes and went back to her side of the stove. "Well good luck with that. I'm just going to be over here mixing the sauce."

I grabbed the noodle scooper and pulled a noodle out and threw it into my mouth. My eyes got huge. I quickly spat out the noodle. "FUCK!" I choked out as I fanned out my tongue.

"Wtf Quinn? You were supposed to blow on it you idiot." Tina blurted out.

"My tongue! It's dying!" I cried out.

"Oh shut up. You just burned your tongue is all. It happened to me last week. It sucked and hurt like a bitch."

My tongue cooled after a few seconds. It felt weird now. It was extremely sensitive and sore on the area where the noodle made contact. A funny thought happened.

_Burned by noodle. _

"You'll live." Lilly huffed out as she came back into the kitchen.

The older woman glanced inside the pot and flipped off the stove. "You can tell when the noodles get done. They tend to fluff out and turn a brighter color than its original form."

"Right." Tina nodded not really paying attention.

Next Lilly took over Tina's spot and tasted the sauce. She smacked her lips, scrunching her face. "Tina taste this."

The other girl tried it after she blew on it. "Seems good." She nodded, not really knowing how it's supposed to taste.

"Quinn?" Lilly asked.

I tasted it very cautiously, ignoring the current weird feeling on my tongue. My brows drew together, focusing on the taste.

"What else does it need?" Lilly asked.

"A little more garlic and a pinch of salt." I stated.

"Couldn't agree more." She agreed.

After adding the extra ingredients Lilly ran off into the living room. Tina grabbed the noodle scooper and pulled out a noodle. She quickly glanced back at the living room. Lilly wasn't looking. Tina gave me a wicked smile before throwing the noodle up at the ceiling. It stuck.

"I've always wanted to do that!" Tina exclaimed.

I rolled my eyes and looked up at the lonely noodle. "Now how the hell are we supposed to get it down?" I asked.

"I don't know!" Tina laughed. "But the noodles are done!" she announced.

* * *

After a very lovely dinner and light conversation Tina and I disappeared off to my room. We sat in the middle of my bed, involved in a deep conversation.

"It was really weird seeing her in person. It was like I was seeing her through a different pair of eyes. I mean, she looked the same, but then again she didn't. I don't know how to explain it." Tina huffed out as she brought her gaze up to the ceiling in thought.

"So what happened first?" I asked curiously.

"Well, it was my first day of school. And I was trying to find out where my locker was. That schedule thing didn't really give me shit. So I was wandering down the halls like an idiot looking for it. Obviously I wasn't watching where I was going. And then SMACK! My ass runs into somebody."

"Let me guess, your bitch." I threw out. "I'm surprised she didn't shank you right then and there."

Tina flicked me off and shook off my comment. "It's not prison Quinn. It's high school."

"Not much of a difference if you ask me."

"Well I'm not asking you. ANYWAYS, she was just about to start cussing me out when she met my gaze."

"Then what?" I asked, perking up a bit.

"She just stared at me with these eyes. It was like she was trying to recognize me. Like, she almost knew me. Her eyes were glazed over and I could tell she was trying to keep her bitch face straight. But I felt familiar to her, I could tell. She wasn't having it though because she kept silently fighting with me. And then for a brief moment she lost. And I knew exactly then that I had made my first mistake. I saw her eyes light up with fear and panic. I saw everything she was trying to hide."

"Wow…" I breathed out.

"Yeah, but I should've known better! I know she gets intimidated when people stare her down. She gets self conscious and feels like someone is invading her personal space. Like, she's being attacked. But at that moment in time I wanted her to know that I knew. I saw through her disguise. I couldn't help myself. I was being selfish. I mean, she can't really hide from me. I know everything about her."

"What did she do?"

"Nothing. After her little slip up she turned around and walked away from me. She was embarrassed."

"And that's all that happened?"

"Before school was over that day I saw her again just down the hall. When she saw me she looked away and purposely shoved past me. It was her way of saying 'I'm top dog bitch, better stay away' type of defense." She sighed.

"So you've been staying away from her since then?" I asked.

"The best that I can. It's a small school. Sometimes you can't really help it. Occasionally we run into each other but she keeps her distance as do I. Other than that we haven't had any sort of contact." Tina explained.

"So then this should be easy." I remarked, feeling a bit relieved.

Tina snorted. "I didn't say that. I just said that I was keeping my distance. But it's a bit strange. Despite the fact that she is no longer my charge I can't help but feel like in some way that I'm responsible for her. Like, we're connected."

"Lilly said that we would have a strong bond with our charges."

"Except for the fact that they aren't ours anymore." Tina pointed out.

"I don't understand that. Why have this so called 'connection' if we aren't caring for them? Huh? It just doesn't seem to fit."

Tina shrugged and adjusted herself on the bed. "I don't really know much more than you. But if we really do have a connection with our humans then I think we should consider leaving. With this bond combined with our human emotions its setting up a bad recipe for disaster."

"Look, if you want to leave be my guest. I'm not trying to keep you here. I'm not leaving."I stated with a firm tone.

"You mean you can't leave Rachel."

"Yes." I nodded.

"Quinn" she warned.

I shook my head and rose from the bed, placing my hands on my hip. "Don't alright. I've already heard it. I don't have to explain myself to you. I'm not going to bother. So just stop already."

"I don't want anyone to get hurt Quinn. I'm only looking out for you." Tina huffed out.

"What exactly do you think is going to happen Tina? Everyone seems to have this idea that I'm going to get hurt or that I'm secretly planning on kidnapping Rachel. I don't have any intention of doing anything. So tell me, what the hell is everyone so fucking concerned about?"

"You are too involved. When it comes to her, being that you're now human, all your judgment is going to fly right out the window. And I'm afraid your emotions might lead you into doing something dangerous and stupid. I know, I've been here for only two weeks and already I'm losing my mind."

I threw her a nasty look before balling my fist up. I was getting agitated, fast. And this bitch wasn't helping with the lecture. "I'm not like you. I can actually keep my emotions in check. Besides, I don't plan on getting involved in Rachel's life. I'm going to be a fly on the wall just like before, completely invisible to the eye."

Tina rolled her eyes and gave a dark chuckle. "You're clearly deluded Quinn. Have you looked in the mirror? There is no possible way that you are going to be invisible. You are the hottest piece of ass that has come into a town like this. All eyes will be on you. So whatever lame ass plan you thought was going to happen you'd better check again."

"I will deal with it when the time comes. Until then, BACK OFF. I'm not going near Rachel, nor am I even going to look her way. She won't even know I exist."

"Pffft! Doubt that. But I'll play along with your little fantasy. Changing the subject now, so what are you wearing tomorrow?"

I walked over to my closet and pulled out one of the new dresses. It was a white sundress with yellow floral printing. Tina eyed the dress.

"And you want to fly under the radar with that?" she asked, raising a brow.

"Should I wear something else?" I asked a little skeptically.

Tina shook her head and stood up. "It won't really matter what you are wearing. You are still going to stick out like a sore thumb."

I released a heavy sigh before putting the dress back. I sat back down on the bed just as Tina began gathering her things.

"I got to get going, my keeper wants me home by 9. Try to get some sleep. It's going to be a big day for you tomorrow."

I nodded, and slowly stood back up on my feet. The smaller girl gave me a light hug before heading for the door. "Goodnight Quinn. Word of advice, take a warm bath. It helps the body calm down."

"Thanks, I will. Goodnight Tina, until tomorrow." I responded.

"Until tomorrow." She smiled back.

* * *

The water was pouring out in a stream of heat. Moisture filled the air as I slowly stripped myself of clothing. When the tub was full I turned off the water. The tip of my toe dipped in. It felt warm to the touch. Slowly I entered the tub until my body was completely submerged. Water trickled down from the side of the tub, spilling out onto the floor. The water enveloped me like a warm blanket. It was intoxicating and soothing. I could feel my body relax. I felt light, almost like my old self. But not really. Holding in a breath full of air I dunked my head back. All I could see was the watery image of the ceiling. Bubbles flew out from under my nose. And all was quiet except for my thoughts.

Once my lungs began begging for air I came up, gasping for breath. My thoughts were on her. They were always on her. It's been almost three weeks since I've seen her. It's made me uncomfortable. I've never been apart from her. The distance is killing me. I can feel myself getting restless. I'm anxious. I don't know what's going to happen.

Tomorrow is my first day of school. _Lord help us all…_

* * *

**Until next time ;) you know what to do! Leave me some love notes peeps! **


	7. The First Day

**Ch 7 The First Day**

* * *

My palms were sweating like a river. Every nerve in my body was on high alert. My hands were balled into fists as I stared up at the school. The back of my throat felt dry. I was having trouble breathing. My stomach was doing some weird stupid floppy thing. I felt tired. I didn't sleep much at all last night. For some reason my thoughts wouldn't leave me alone. _Typical human shit… _ To my left Tina was waiting on me, patiently. We were outside the steps of the school. It was cloudy, the sky looking much like a horror movie. I didn't want to be here. I could feel my body twisting into a pretzel.

"You ready for this?" she asked.

"Sure." I breathed out.

"You sure, you seem a little nervous." She pointed out.

"I'm not nervous. I don't get nervous." I lied.

But the way my body was reacting, I knew it was true. If we were being honest, I was scared shitless. This was going to be the first time that I would be seen by a large group of people. I would be put on the spotlight. And there was a strong possibility that I would see her. It felt like my throat was closing up. My hands restlessly adjusted the dress I was wearing then ran through my hair. I felt the small flower that Lilly had given me this morning. She had put it in my hair and told me it looked beautiful. I dropped my hands clumsily to the side. _I'm ready…._

Tina led the way up the steps. I followed close behind. The doors opened. My heart was pounding hard beneath my chest. I was surprised Tina couldn't hear it. We walked inside and down the hall. It looked exactly the same as it did three weeks ago. The only difference this time was that I was an attendee. As we walked I took notice that there weren't many students lounging in the halls today. In fact everything seemed oddly quiet unlike the normal days. It must have been the weather. Any minute now it looked like it was about to start raining. That always put everyone in a lazy mood. A few students caught sight of me. Their eyes went wide. I in turn began to fidget under their gazes. Already I could hear the whispers going on and about.

"Do you have your schedule and everything?" Tina asked, emitting a loud yawn.

"Yeah." I nodded,

We turned a corner. I stopped in my tracks. My jaw fell open. Standing less than 15 ft away from me was Rachel Berry. She was standing at her locker, high up on her tip toes, digging inside for her books. I released all of the air in my lungs. I felt sick. My hands started clamming, heart picking up. My head felt funny. I felt something in my veins akin to fear. My vision started swimming. I felt out of control. _Oh fuck…._ And suddenly everything went dark.

"Quinn!"-

* * *

When I opened my eyes Tina was leaning over me. There was a painful throbbing on the side of my head as I sat up from a bed. A woozy feeling hit me strong. And I suddenly felt nauseous. _What the hell? Where am I? What's going on? Fucking shit my head hurts!_

"What- where am I?" I asked rubbing the back of my head.

Tina eyed me with a smirk. "You passed out."

"Oh." I commented, looking around at the room.

"We are in the nurse's office." Tina informed me.

"But how did you get me here?"

"I didn't. Your ass was too heavy for me to pick up. Luckily another student was passing by and was able to help carry you here."

"That was nice." I nodded feeling a bit awkward.

"So much for not feeling nervous huh?" she mocked.

"Shut up." I groaned.

At that moment a lady of about fifty with graying dark hair entered the room. Her face was a mass of wrinkles, her eyes cold and unpleasant. She handed me a bag of ice. "Here put this on the bump. It should help with the swelling."

After we were done we left her office and entered into the main office. There I spotted Sam Evan sitting in one of the chairs, waiting for someone. I wondered who he was waiting for. His eyes came upon us. He perked up and stood to his feet and walked over to us. I looked at Tina who ignored my confused eyes. The blonde haired boy with the big lips smiled warmly.

"Hey, everything turn out okay?" he asked with concern.

He was directing the question at Tina but was looking at me. My mind quickly picked up on the situation and assumed that he was the one that brought me here. "Yes, she just bumped her head a bit." Tina answered. "You should probably watch where you're going from now on." She directed at me. "Walking into a locker can be a little painful."

Tina was mocking me. I fought the urge to smack her face off. But instead I directed my attention back to Rachel's boyfriend and put on a charming smile. "Thank you so much. I really appreciate what you did for me. I'm afraid I'm a bit of a klutz." I spoke with an airy tone.

The boy fell silent, his eyes widening with surprise. His cheeks turned red and he quickly casted his gaze down at the ground. He cleared the back of his throat and began rubbing the back of his neck. "It's alright. I was glad I could help. And don't worry about being a klutz. I'm probably the worst person in the world to be around. My girlfriend knows that more than anyone."

The boy was rambling. And he wouldn't stop talking. I sighed and side eyed Tina who was smirking at me from the corner of her eye. _Fucking bitch… _She had no intention of breaking up his little monologue. And neither did I. I didn't want to seem like a bitch. First impressions were important in the human world. Sam was a good guy. I watched him grow up with Rachel. He would be a good friend to have. So together we waited until the boy had finished which was surprisingly about 5 minutes later. Who knew humans could talk so much in one sitting? After he was done I looked at Tina who had her brows drawn up in shock. Sam's face quickly went into various shades of red when we didn't respond. We didn't really know what do to next.

"Well we really appreciate all the help." Tina finally spoke up, clearly wanting to get away now.

"Right, right. Sorry, for my long rambling. I must be rubbing off from my girlfriend." He stated a little sheepishly.

"Oh I bet." Tina nodded, eyeing me with a knowing look.

I rolled my eyes at her comment. _Bitch_

"So I didn't catch your names." Sam stated a bit abruptly, eyeing me from the corner of his eye.

"I'm Tina Chang."

"Quinn Fabray." I replied back politely.

Sam smiled at me, revealing his white pearly teeth. "My name is Sam Evans. I haven't seen you around here before….Are you new?"

"Yes, I just moved here from Los Angeles."

The boy perked up a bit more. It appeared that he was only talking to me because Tina was no longer in his world. I could feel Tina glaring at me. She was getting annoyed. The boy was ignoring her. I was pretty sure he wasn't doing it on purpose. It really wasn't his fault. Who could blame him? "That is so cool! I've only been there once. I plan on moving out there as soon as I graduate this year." He responded back with bright eyes.

"It is amazing. I loved it there."

"So what brings you all the way here?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.

"My parents decided to move to Italy. So they gave me a choice, I could go with them or I could stay in the states and live with my older cousin. "

"That's kind of awesome. Well, welcome to McKinley High where things never appear as they seem. We are lucky to have you. "

"That's nice but we have to go now. I have to help her find her classes and such." Tina cut in, her voice tinted with attitude. .

Sam nodded clearly not getting the hint. Instead he walked with us, and continued chatting with me. I kept adjusting the ice bag around my head. My fingers kept freezing to death everywhere that I held it. It got to the point to where my fingers went numb and I couldn't feel a thing. This was annoying and a bit pointless. In the end I ended up throwing the damn thing away. Sam led the way. Why? I couldn't tell you. Where to? I couldn't say. Just when I was about to say something we all came to a stop. Sam's big broad back was in the way of my view. I nearly ran into the poor guy.

"Hey Rachel, I'd like you to meet someone."

As soon as he said the name everything in me turned off. Sam moved out of the way. And there she was in all her form and glory. All the breath in me left. My body froze. I felt lifeless. Everything in me was paralyzed. And then she looked at me. My arms fell limply to my side. And all I saw was a sea of brown. I was swept away in an instant. She smelled like vanilla flowers.

Brown eyes blinked. She was taken aback by my presence. Her brows were drawn up in complete surprise. Her eyes were glued to me. The connection between us was blasting through the air, charging it with an electrifying mark. It made my stomach light with fire and my skin crawl. I didn't know what was happening to me. I felt lost. Like, I was floating off into some distant planet without an anchor in sight. I was floating away. The voices around me turned into a different language. Then altogether everything went silent. I couldn't breathe. She was taking the air from me. And I gladly let her. It wasn't mine to have anyway.

"Rachel?" Sam called out, waving a hand in her face.

The girl broke out from her trance and looked around a bit dazed. Everyone was staring at her. Her cheeks burned red. She looked at her boyfriend in question.

"What?" she blinked, embarrassment brushing across her cheeks.

"This is Quinn Fabray. She's new here to Lima. She moved here from LA. " he directed at me with a large smile.

Once again those brown eyes flick to me. This time she checked me from head to toe with wary eyes. _I will never get used to this. She is actually looking at me. She's looking at me! She can see me. _My head felt dizzy and intoxicated at the thought. Rachel took an involuntary step from us, from me, wrapping her arm automatically around her boyfriend. She was clinging to him like a raft. She was clearly uncomfortable with me by the way her body was slumping into Sam. A moment later she was putting on her fake polite smile.

"Right." She spoke with a tight voice. "You know I think I remember seeing you a couple of weeks ago just down the hall over there."

My eyes widen. She was talking to me. She was actually engaging in a conversation with me. But I couldn't hear anything over the sound of my beating heart. I tried to make a sound to respond. But nothing was coming out. The cat had definitely caught my tongue. But what were words without breath? _Why can't I talk? I think I'm going to pass out again. _

I threw Rachel a confused glance and then looked at Tina for help. Could she understand what was going on? Could she hear Rachel? I was lost and floating. Tina was also looking at Rachel funny. None of this made any sense.

"That's impossible, today is her first day." Tina jumped in.

Rachel looked at me again but quickly looked away casting her eyes down at the ground. She's embarrassed again. And I know by the way she's pulling away she's not going to respond anymore. She's closed up and silently tuning out. It's an awkward situation. Rachel was acting out of character. You could tell she didn't want to be here anymore. But my eyes never left her. In fact this was my chance to take her in. Gauging by the small dark circles under her eyes it looked like she hadn't really been sleeping much. Her hair was down and looked a bit messy, like she was tossing and turning all night. It looked really soft though. My eyes traveled down the length of her face and body, checking to see if any new changes/injuries have occurred. All seemed the same except that it didn't. Technically speaking, Rachel looked the same but at the same time she didn't. There was something about her that was different. I didn't know if it was because I was a human now or just seeing her in a different light. Either way, she looked fascinating. But she wouldn't look me in the eyes anymore. She was avoiding my gaze.

"We should get going. Nice meeting you guys." Tina broke out.

She grabbed my arm and rushed me down the hall. "Holy shit Quinn you're turning green."

We went into a bathroom where she shoved me into the nearest stall. It was perfect timing because just then my stomach exploded and I threw up in the toilet. Tina held my hair back and gently patted my back as half the contents from my stomach aired out. Once I was done I sat back away from the toilet. My throat felt sore and I could finally breathe again. Tears were burning down my face. Tina leaned down and wiped the edges of my mouth with toilet paper.

"You are a wreck." Tina whispered as she ran a hand through my hair. "What the hell happened back there Quinn?"

"I don't know." I replied back with a raspy tone.

"This never happened on my first day." She sighed, trying to figure this out.

There was a silent shiver that ran through me. I groaned at the thought of how stupid I must've looked like in front of her. What would Rachel have thought? Did she think I was weird? I would've thought so. I didn't even say a word. All I did was stare at her. This day couldn't have been more embarrassing. I thumped my head back against the wall and released a loud grunt. And then there was the damn bump on my head. Fucking idiot. My moment of self- deprecation was disrupted by the loud warning bell. Class started in five minutes.

"Can you walk?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. You should get to class." I stated hoarsely.

She looked at me with hesitant eyes. "I think you should go back to the nurse's office."

I shook my head. "I'm fine. I just need a minute."

"You sure?" she asked.

I nodded. I needed to be alone for a second. The day had just barely started and already I was feeling overwhelmed. Tina sighed before agreeing. She unlocked the stall door and quickly headed out. I eyed her and watched as she disappeared out the door. Everything in my body felt numb. But at least I didn't feel nervous anymore.

* * *

A hard force bumped into me just as I made it to the doorway of my first classroom, sending my books flying to the floor. Finn Hudson's large frame came into view. I was already annoyed by his haughty demeanor. He was about to keep walking into the room until he chanced a glance at me. He stopped in his tracks and lifted a brow. His eyes were on me, clearly checking me out. I felt violated by his gaze and bent down to collect my books. Immediately he went into action and got to them before I could. He had longer arms.

"I'm sorry! I didn't see you there." Finn responded, ticking on his charming smile.

He handed me my books and I held them to my chest. "I'm sure you didn't." I replied back coolly.

"I just got off of football practice. The coach made me stay late because I'm the football co-captain and all. As it turns out, it kind of puts me in this awkward situation because I'm staying later than the other guys and having all this responsibility. The gym is kind of far so I have to run to get here. I really can't afford to be late for this class again. I'm really sorry about earlier." He spouted off.

I rolled my eyes. "I don't need to know your life story." I responded, brushing past him.

I could hear his heavy footsteps fall in line behind me. I quickly took a seat. He sat next to me, turning his full body to me. "I'm Finn Hudson by the way." He spoke up, eyes sparkling with light.

I was looking around the room, searching for anyone that would come and rescue me. But it looked like I was alone. "Don't really care." I muttered.

"That's a little rude." Finn ground out, snapping his nose up.

I threw him a pointed look and smacked my lips, cutting to the chase. "Look, I know who you are. I've known guys like you for a very long time. And truthfully, they weren't worth a minute of neither my time nor breath. So don't waste the time and energy. I'm not interested."

"Damn she told you!" another voice joined in.

Noah Puckerman stood in front of my desk wearing his infamous shit eating smirk. He was wearing a white shirt with a pair of dark jeans. His Mohawk looked clean cut. The taller boy was leaning over my desk, eyeing me with appreciating eyes. "Well then, now that he's out. Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Noah. But people around here call me Puck."

I knew all too well about him. He was the man whore of the school, fucking almost anything and everything in sight. There wasn't a girl that he couldn't keep his hands off of. He was the school's bad boy that people loved to talk about. He didn't care about a thing and I'm assuming that's what made him attractive. His grades looked exactly like the bottom of his dirty boots. He was a loser with no future. But the boy definitely had a charm about him now that I could see him up close. I never really had a good look at him before because he didn't matter to me. I could easily see through his façade and right into his very soul. There were things about him that had potential. He was loyal, honest, and a trustworthy guy. And I was sure he was vulnerable too. But he had one weakness. He was a coward.

"Not you either." I bit out, mirroring his smirk.

"Come on man. She's not even worth it. She's just another stuck up bitch." Finn blatantly threw out.

Puck threw Finn a look and shook his head with disgust. The taller boy straightened up and looked over at me with a smile. "Well that just makes her that much more interesting."

Finn groaned before removing himself from the seat next to me. Puck threw me a short wink before licking his lips, chasing off after his buddy. They sat on the other side of the room. The room began filling up. A second later a tall Chinese guy came in and sat beside me. He took me in for a second before introducing himself.

"Mike Chang." He smiled brightly.

"Quinn Fabray." I replied back.

"You must be the new girl. The one from LA right?" he asked.

"How did you know?" I asked incredulously.

The taller boy smiled tapping his pen against the desk. "It's a small world. Word travels fast around here. You'd better get used to it."

I huffed and groaned at the thought.

* * *

By the time class ended everyone in the school knew my name and I hadn't even spoken a word to anyone besides Mike. All eyes were on me as Mike and I walked down the hall, chatting quietly. We were almost to my locker when all of a sudden the students began to part. More whispers broke out and all too soon the halls became silent. I spotted her down the hall.

Santana Lopez

And she was heading straight for me. Her hair was down and flowing as she strutted down the hall, shaking her ass a little in the process. There was a hint of a smile on her face when all eyes landed on her. She was oozing power. I mean, she was the ruling bitch of the school. Across her chest was the broad symbol that ran fear through the halls. The bright red and white colors were beaming off of her like a beacon. The taller girl strode up to me, flicking her wrist to dismiss Mike. The boy fled like a chicken without a head. Her eyes darted back to me, her lips forming into a smirk.

This was all just for show. I knew almost everything about this girl. Granted, not as much as Tina did, but I knew her better enough, more than any of these other kids. She liked to put up a front to intimidate people. She thrives off of it. But I wasn't in the mood for her little game.

Santana stopped in front of me, leaning in extremely close, examining my face with scrutiny. She was trying to look for my flaws. She only did this when she felt that someone was prettier than her. When she pulled back I could see a bit of irritation written across her face. But it didn't deter her one bit. By that time a small crowd had gathered, eyeing us quietly.

"You know I could let you borrow my phone if you want." I broke out with a firm tone.

Her eyes zoomed in on me as she scrunched up her face. "And why would you do that?" she asked in a mocking way, circling around me like a piece of meat.

"It's obvious you want my picture taken. I can understand. It's hard to resist this. I can't blame you if you really want a picture. So go on, take one. The first one is free."

"My my, aren't we the cocky bitch." Santana hissed.

I gazed up at her brown eyes, smiling slyly. "Obviously."

She was still studying me until she came to stop in front of me again. "So you're the hot new piece of ass huh? Don't quite understand what the big deal is. Your ass is nonexistent, your tits are small, and I can see your roots coming out. You're a fake bottled blonde, Hollywood bitch."

"At least everything about me is real, unlike the boob job you're sporting." I threw out, knowing exactly where to make it hurt.

The Latina's eyes grew large and she clamped her jaw down. "I'm from LA. You don't think I know a boob job when I see one. Gotta say, they did a pretty decent job. It really takes away from that face of yours."

Santana took a step toward me, muttering under her breath. "You don't want to fuck with me Hollywood. I'm the real big time shit. And I can destroy you."

"Blah, blah, blah.. Is that supposed to scare me? Your threats are empty and this little act that you've got going on isn't doing anything for me. You're acting like a child. Get over yourself." I barked out.

Gasps and whispers broke out. People were watching intently, clearly amazed by the interaction that was going on. No one had ever seen anyone talk to their queen this way. Everyone was on the tips of their toes.

"I rule this school like a true queen from hell. And there isn't anything I wouldn't do to keep it. So I dare you to try me. In the end you will be put down just like the rest of those dumb ass cunts who thought they could pull one over on me. So you will either get in line behind me or you will be thrown to the dogs."

I smirked. "I don't know who you think you are, but let me tell you what's going to happen right now. You are going to smile, and apologize to me for your insensitive behavior in front of all of these people. And then you are going to walk away and stay the hell away from me. And if you ever come near me again I will smack you so hard across your face you'll end up getting a new nose too."

"Santana Lopez does not apologize to anyone." She growled back.

I figured as much. "And that's why you'll never be able to get the girl."

This time she pulled back from me as if burned. Her eyes were bulging out of her head. She knew exactly what I was talking about. I had finally hit my mark. Santana's hands balled into fists as she stood stock still, staring at me. She was trying to figure out how I knew.

Suddenly out of nowhere Tina popped up beside me. She knew what was going on. She threw me a warning look before casting a nervous glance at Santana. The taller girl casted a brief glimpse at Tina, giving her a nasty look. But deep in the depths of her eyes they grew in fear by her presence. Santana let out a low growl before giving me one final look. Without another word she spun around and stalked off. The hallway broke out into an excitement of buzz. Tina grabbed my arm and pulled me closer to her.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she whispered into my ear.

I glanced at her and smirked. "She wanted to play. I was just giving her what she wanted."

Tina applied a bit of pressure to my arm, turning me to face her. Her eyes turned cold and dark. Her voice grew dangerously low as she spoke. "Leave her alone. This isn't a game. Back off." She warned.

I released my arm and eyed her with a hard look. "If she comes at me again, I will smack her. I've been wanting to do it ever since she was born. Keep your charge away from me and we won't have any problems."

"Fine." Tina hissed out, turning away and storming down the hall.

* * *

**Originally this was supposed to have been WAYYY longer, but I decided to chop this chapter up into two parts. I hope you enjoyed! I really want to give a shout out to everyone who has left their love notes for me. I love hearing what you all have to say. **

**Think Quinn's going to be able to talk to Rachel any time soon? Anyone love a certain character yet? Let me know! Thanks for reading! Until next time…**


	8. II

**Ch 8 The First day part II**

* * *

By the time lunch rolled around I was completely exhausted. Throughout the day random people kept coming up to me. They would introduce themselves with that charming small town vibe. The gestures were nice enough, but I already knew the key players in the game. You could easily spot the fake bitches versus the real. It seemed as if people couldn't get enough of me. They were still brimming with excitement from my impromptu with Santana. They wanted to know everything that there was to know about me. It was all a bit overwhelming. I didn't know what to do. I literally had over a dozen offers from different students to join them at lunch. Tina hadn't texted me at all. She was probably still a little upset by my actions. I felt a little guilty about it. If the shoe were on the other foot I would have been furious. But Santana had it coming. She was a bitch.

What I really needed now was just some peace and quiet. There was only one place that I could think of. Instead of heading for the cafeteria I opted for the auditorium. Right now Rachel would be eating with the rest of glee club. The auditorium would be empty for a little while. I would make sure to leave way before Rachel got there. I entered into the dark room. A cool breeze wafted through my hair as I headed toward the back of row of seats. I was hidden by the darkness of shadows as I took a seat. I casually lifted my feet up on the chair and pulled out my lunch. Lilly had packed me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich along with a small bag of veggies and bottled water. I ate in silence, thinking to myself over the events that had happened. Humans have always been confusing creatures. For a majority of the time they don't even know what they want. They are always complaining and whining about something. Not to mention they can never make up their minds about anything. They say one thing and do the complete opposite. It annoyed me. Feelings annoyed me. PEOPLE annoyed me. The answers were simple enough. But it still didn't explain why everyone seemed to have a hidden agenda. Were they trying to get to know me or were they just wanting new gossip? A heavy sigh drew from my lips.

_I really don't want to be here anymore. _

I bit into my sandwich. My eyes rolled to the back of my head as I swiped my lips from the bread crumbs. Peanut butter and jelly was a fucking delicious combination. But my favorite part was the peanut butter. After I gobbled down the sandwich in an unearthly amount of time I made sure to make a mental note about the peanut butter. I needed more of it.

Just as I was about to take a swig of water a loud bang rang out through the air. I froze. My eyes hit the stage just as Rachel came waltzing in. My brows narrowed in confusion. _What the hell is she doing here? She's not supposed to be in here this early!_ I could feel my eyes bulging out of my head as I stared at her. The smaller girl threw her bags across the stage, huffing out loud, her bangs flying up a bit. She took a seat at the piano, brushing the hair from her face. She breathed in for a moment before she hunched over, her fingers arched and ready to play. From where I could see her face was a bit red. I didn't know why or what had made her like that. She looked annoyed mixed with something else. I could see her thoughts running away on her. Something was on her mind. I waited for her to move or start singing. But nothing happened. She just sat there, staring at the keys, completely out of it. I sat up straighter and eyed her. She didn't move a muscle.

_Maybe I should go talk to her? She looks like she needs some help. What the hell do you think you're going to do? Walk over to her and convince her to start talking about her problems? She doesn't even know who you are. You're nothing to her. So just leave her alone like you said you would. You're not even supposed to be here. You need to leave. _

_-But she looks lonely -you need to leave_

_-You need to stay away from her -you can't do anything_

_-This isn't your job anymore -you're only making this harder on yourself_

Time was ticking by the second, Rachel wasn't moving and neither was I. My fingers were digging into the arm rest not knowing what to do. I stared at the other girl, gulping down the dryness in the back of my throat. Suddenly my phone went off, piercing through the auditorium. I had received a new text. I jumped and quickly ducked to the floor. _Shit! _ _FUCKING TINA!_

"Hello? Is there somebody there?" her voice rang through the place.

_See this is what happens when you do shit you're not supposed to! Get the fuck out of here before she sees you. _

This time I gathered all my stuff and drew in a shaky breath. Using every muscle in my being I quickly got up and ran to the nearest exit. My heart was pumping as I pushed open the door and practically ran into the first empty room. I peeked through the window in the door and saw Rachel emerging from the stage door. She was looking up and down the hall, her face full of confusion. I didn't know whether or not she had seen me. But I wasn't taking any chances. She stood in the hall for a few more seconds, wrapping her arms around herself. When it was clear that no one was there she shook her head and ran a hand through her hair. Then she went back into the auditorium. I breathed out heavily. _Shit that was close._

* * *

My eyes ran across the last class on my schedule. It was Mr. Larson's AP English class. I let out a puff of air and shook my head. _Shit! Fuck!_ I was screwed. There really was no getting out of this today. I groaned, wanting to leave early from school and forget the class altogether. As I stood down the hall from class I continued contemplating. I was already late. But I didn't care. This matter was a lot more important. You see, Rachel was in this class. My last fucking class!

Exactly, enough said!

So that's why I was here, waiting around like an idiot. The time was ticking by and I needed to make a decision soon. After a few more heated words with myself I finally gave in. The entire class was full when I entered. All eyes landed on me as I shuffled into the room a bit wary. Everyone already knew who I was and I was a bit intimidated. The teacher was sitting on top of his desk when he turned and eyed me. Immediately he perked up and his eyes grew bright. He rose to his feet and gave me a wide beaming smile. His hair was short and light brown. He looked in his late twenties. His strong chiseled face had glowing hazel eyes. He was very tall with broad shoulders. His jaw looked a bit rugged due to the fact that he hadn't shaved in a while. I eyed him up and down. The man was gorgeous. My face ran red and I looked away from him. But then I came across Rachel's intent gaze from across the room. She was sitting in the front row, first desk. I quickly looked away.

"You must be Quinn Fabray!" the teacher enthused.

I nodded, not really knowing what else to say.

"Well welcome! I'm Mr. Larson, the AP English teacher for seniors. Glad to have you here." He chuckled, drawing my attention back to him.

Our eyes met. Immediately the smile from Mr. Larson's face fell and all the words in his mind drew blank. His eyes grew wide with surprise. He looked blown away and a bit breathless. I bit my lip and quickly shifted my gaze elsewhere. Heat began brushing across my face as we both stood awkwardly at the front of the room, facing everyone.

Mr. Larson blinked a few times, finally catching his breath. He looked around the room, spotting an empty seat. "Y-you may take a seat right over there." He pointed out. "Rachel, would you please raise your hand!"

There was an internal groan that ran through me. Of course the only seat available was the one right behind Rachel. I looked over the entire room making sure there weren't any other seats. But to my dismay there weren't. _Fuck, I shouldn't have come to this class._ Rachel slowly raised her hand in the air. I breathed in deeply and made my way to her. Rachel was casting her gaze far from me as I passed her. A moment later I threw myself into the seat behind her. I could see the smaller girl's whole demeanor shift in front of me. She looked a lot stiffer. Her back was straight, shoulders tense. I was breathing heavily by this point, hands sweating. I was doing everything in my power to make her disappear from my view. I pushed myself far from her.

But it still didn't block out her smell. She was intoxicating and smelled a lot better than any of the students I had come across today. It was frustrating and hard not to think of it. She was invading my senses. My fingers gripped onto the edge of my desk, nails digging into the wood. I tried holding my breath. But that would only work for so long. I was trying to fight her off. But then she accidently shifted in her seat. A bit of air wafted by and caught my nose. My eyes closed. She's exhilarating.

I opened my eyes and glanced at the clock. Only 10 minutes had passed. _There's no way I'm going to make it through. _My nails dug in deeper. I looked at the front of the room where Mr. Larson was already in the middle of his lesson. I didn't know what the hell he was talking about because all I could feel was Rachel's presence. It was screaming at me. I was practically shaking in my desk.

As soon as class let out I made sure I was the first person out. I ran past the students in a blast, trying to breathe in the crappy air, anything other than Rachel. I spotted the office and dodged inside walking straight up to the registrar's desk. The woman behind the desk removed her glasses and smiled. The name on her desk read Mrs. Oatley.

"What is it that I can help you with dear?" she asked.

"I- uh- I'm new here to the school, I actually just finished my first day." I started off.

"Oh, congrats! Do you like it so far?" the lady asked.

"Of course, everything was just wonderful except, I'm having a bit of a problem with my schedule."

"What's wrong?" she asked sweetly.

"It's my last class. It's not really working out for me. With the time schedule I prefer to have all my basic courses early in the day rather than the afternoon. I can't really concentrate when it gets later. So I was wondering if there was anything that you could do about it. I will gladly take any other class, or switch one with another. "

The lady nodded and clicked on her computer. I silently sent a prayer hoping it would all work in my favor. I grabbed my phone out from my bag, opening up the messages. Tina had texted me telling me she would be waiting for me in the courtyard. I sent her a text back telling her I would meet her soon.

"Rachel! What a pleasant surprise! Hold on sweetheart I'll be with you in just a second." Mrs. Oatley spouted off.

I froze silently cursing my bad luck. I slowly turned my head. And sure enough there she was, standing awkwardly by the door, arms across her chest. Her head was turned away, eyes looking at anywhere but me. I rolled my eyes and directed my attention back to the old lady.

"I'm sorry Ms. Fabray. All of our other classes are filled to the brim. Even if I wanted to there would be nowhere to put you. We are a really small school. Not much funding comes to us. I'm afraid you're just going to have to keep your schedule the way it is."

And just like that she had torn my heart out and thrown it on the floor. "Fuck." I muttered underneath my breath. I gazed up at Mrs. Oatley and gave her a polite smile. "Thanks for trying."

Without even thinking about it I swiftly turned, heading for the door, putting an unnecessary amount of space in between Rachel and I as I threw open the door with frustration. I was fuming as I stalked off to the courtyard. I easily spotted Tina chatting along with Blaine Anderson and Kurt Hummel. The introductions were made and plans were exchanged to hang out. But I wasn't going to. I didn't like Kurt. He was a stuck up little bitch that loved to gossip behind people's back. After what he said about Rachel I put him on my shit list. The guy's a dick, no questions ask.

* * *

Later that night we were sitting down at the dinner table. I was stabbing at my food, zoning out. Lilly had tried several times to get me to open up. But there really wasn't much to say. I hated it here. I didn't want to be here. The people at school were fake. (Well some people weren't) But still, all the lying and games people were playing was enough to make my head spin.

"It might make ya feel better if ya talked about it." Lilly tried again.

I eyed her and shrugged. "I don't see the point. It doesn't change what happened during the day." I pointed out.

"True, but it's clear ya need to talk to someone. Ya can't keep all those feelings locked away. It's not good for ya."

Reluctantly I told her about my first day. I told her all about the weird interactions that I had with a few of the students and about the Santana show down. I even told her a little bit about my encounters with Rachel. By the time I was done I felt relieved, like I was clean again. And to my surprise I actually did feel a little better.

"See that wasn't so bad now was it?" Lilly asked with a warm smile.

I nodded, smiling a bit in the process.

The redheaded girl stood up from the table and picked up her plate. "Cheer up! Tomorrow is a new day Quinn. So today kinda sucked for ya. But now ya know what to avoid and what to do. All the crappy parts ya didn't like about today you can change tomorrow. Each day change something different. Eventually one day there will be a time when everyday is a great day. "

"That's very wise." I commented.

She winked and gave me a wide smile. "I'm more than just the looks darling." She threw back, her accent heavy with a playful tone.

_Yeah, that just means I have to do this all again tomorrow…_

* * *

Lilly finally disappeared from the kitchen and retreated to her room. Once she was gone I quietly walked to the pantry and flung open the door. My eyes gazed at all the food in there. I began searching for it. A bright smile lit my face when I found it. Immediately I grabbed the jar and a spoon and took off to my room. I opened up the jar of peanut butter and scooped up a large ball and threw it into my mouth.

_Fuck me! I love peanut butter! Well cheers to tomorrow…_

* * *

**Just wanted to give a shout out to the following-**

immablackstar

RikkuKashi

Polux

YnoiS1998

KatherineAda

**You guys are awesome, thanks for the love you keep sending. Keep on reading! Enjoy! Until next time…**


	9. Fire Wheels

**Ch 9 Fire Wheels**

* * *

Tina and I were walking to her locker in between our 3rd and 4th class. Things have been a little weird between us. I'm assuming she is still mad at me for the whole Santana debacle. We haven't been communicating as much as we used to and it really sucks. She's my only friend here with the exception of Lilly. But there is only so much that I could tell my keeper. She wouldn't understand. Tina is the only one that would have an inkling of what's going on. She's from my world. She would get it. But here we are, less than two feet away and were drifting. I didn't know how to get us back to where we were. I felt lost. I wasn't going to apologize. Santana was the one who preyed upon me. I was just defending myself. In my opinion, Tina overreacted. It's plain and simple. Why won't she admit it? Why won't she apologize? I didn't do anything wrong.

As we turned the corner we spotted a crowd in the hall. We couldn't see what was going on. Tina and I eyed each other and made our way over. There were only a few reasons why people crowded the hall. At the top of the list, fighting. The both of us quietly squeezed through the crowd of students until we could get a good look at what was going on. But what I saw quickly set my soul on fire.

A couple of football players were huddled around that nerdy glee club guy in the wheelchair. Finn and Puck had hoisted him up in the air with his chair. The boy's books and papers went flying into the air. The two football jocks kept shuffling the kid back and forth between each other. They were laughing wildly without a care. Finn grabbed the nearest trashcan which was filled to the top. By the way the situation was looking I already knew what was about to happen. I had finally had enough. I couldn't stomach it anymore. Something within me popped. I couldn't take it. I stormed out from the sea of students, eyes growing dark and cold, feeling the power within me swell. The boys spotted me and their faces fell.

"Put him down NOW!" I growled out.

I was heaving, body shaking with fury. My heart was pounding wildly. Finn and Puck looked at each other before Puck wordlessly put him down. Finn set down the trashcan. Silence fell upon us. Everyone had stopped laughing. Finn was trying to act nonchalant about it while Puck looked away not meeting my eyes. I was eyeing the boys with a dangerous gleam in my eye. My hands were shaking.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU TWO THINK YOU ARE DOING?" I yelled.

They were silent. I was waiting for an answer.

"We were just having a bit of fun. Don't get your panties in a twist" Finn blew out with a chuckle.

My eyes zoomed in on him. Tina popped up right beside me, placing a hand on her hip. She was eyeing him with that same look she gave me during the Santana situation. Tina clamped her jaw down before balling her fists up. "You think this is fun?" she asked with a low cut tone. "Look around you, you fucking idiot. I don't see anyone laughing but you."

Finn shrugged and eyed his boys to the side. "You guys sure enjoyed it right?" he laughed.

His buddies nodded in agreement. I felt disgusted and shook my head. I was trying to keep myself from lunging at him. "You two should be ashamed of yourselves." I bit out.

My eyes landed on Puck. He was purposely avoiding my eyes. He looked completely embarrassed. "How could you? Picking on a defenseless kid like that? **What the fuck is wrong with you?"** I ground out.

His face turned red. "I-uh I don't know." Puck stammered.

"You are disgusting. The both of you. You want to pick on someone, why don't you pick on me!" I called out heavily.

Tina took a step forward until she was an inch away from Finn's face. The taller boy angrily looked down at the Asian girl. "Step off bitch." He growled out.

Within a second she sent a wad of spit to his face. Finn lunged for the girl but was quickly held back by one of the larger boys. "YOU FUCKING BITCH!" He called out just as the guys took him around the corner.

Puck still hadn't moved. His head was down, eyes locked to the floor. I pushed at his large chest to get him to look at me. "Do something then! I'm right here! I'm not going anywhere. So come on! You think you are the big bad ass of the school? Why don't you take me on? Throw me in the trash!"

Puck was red in the face. I leaned into him more, lowering my voice. "I expected more from you."

Immediately his eyes looked up. There was something back there swirling around. I couldn't tell what it was. But something had got him going. He pulled away from my heavy gaze, knowing full and well he wasn't going to do anything. I tore my eyes from him and looked around at the crowd.

"And none of you did anything. You just stood there and watched." I stated eyeing everyone around us. "You are all just as pathetic as they are."

From beside me Tina grabbed my hand. "Come on. Let's go." She whispered into my ear.

I shook my head with disgust and disappointment. I've had enough for today. So I let the smaller girl take control. She led us through the large crowd, leaving behind a very disturbed group of students.

* * *

The bathroom was completely silent when I entered. No one was in here which made me sigh with relief. I quickly made my way to the sink and turned on the faucet. The cool water against my face felt refreshing. This was my way of keeping myself in check. My emotions were getting harder to control with each new development. I don't know why people are testing my patience. But it's getting to me. Everything is getting to me. From behind I heard the door squeak open. I ignored the person entering and kept to myself. I was exhausted. I didn't want to talk to anyone. As I reached for a paper towel my eyes glanced into the mirror. I spotted a figure standing in the corner of the bathroom. I froze, eyes zoning out.

Rachel was standing there, stock still. Her big brown eyes were watching me with interest. She was studying me closely. She didn't even try to look away. She bit her lip and narrowed her brows. It looked like she wanted to say something. But she seemed to be struggling as I was. Several times her mouth formed into shapes but nothing came out. I waited with bated breath. Her face turned red after a few attempts. I could feel the heat coming off of her. Or maybe it was just me. It felt too hot all of a sudden. We stood in silence. I awkwardly cleared the back of my throat and turned to face her, not really knowing what to do. That seemed to do the trick.

"I heard about what you did for Artie today. That- that was really nice." Rachel quietly stammered out.

_Fuck…. I'm dead! _

My face was heating up now. I quickly shifted my gaze away from her. I felt shaky all of a sudden and quite giddy at the same time. There was a large swelling in my chest. I was a balloon for a moment. It took me a minute to collect myself. I was trying to understand what it was that I was feeling. I was nervous and thrilled about the compliment.

"Not many people would've done what you did." Rachel continued.

I could feel the edge of my lips cracking. A full blown smile had hit my face. When our eyes met Rachel was taken aback. The blush in her cheeks darkened and she looked away. Her arms were fidgeting by her side. This was a different side of Rachel I hadn't seen before. She was quiet, shy, and timid. Normally she was loud, eccentric, and demanding. She was a force to be reckoned with. But here she was, just like me, nervous, and looking like a bumbling fool.

"Thank you." I finally got out.

After that I couldn't stand it anymore. I needed to leave because I was about to explode. Without another moment's notice I made my way past Rachel and out the door. The smile on my face grew even wider. I had finally talked to her. It was only two words. But it was a victory that I would gladly take.

* * *

Tina and I took a seat at an empty table in the cafeteria. The place was buzzing loud with chatter. Everyone had heard about the incident in the hall. Word spread like fire. Eyes were watching us from all over. It was annoying, especially when you know people are talking about you. An aroma of fried greasy food lingered in the air. It made my stomach growl with hunger. I pulled out my lunch along with a small jar of peanut butter.

"Fucking asshole." Tina muttered from beside me.

I looked up. Finn and his buddies were staring at us, laughing like idiots. I shook my head and focused on my food. "Just forget about them. They'll get what's coming to them. They will learn."

Just then Mike came up and took a seat with us. He threw a charming smile our way. From beside me Tina's eyes popped open. Her brows rose to the top of her head.

"Sorry hope I'm not interrupting." He says.

Tina licked her lips and eyed him like he was a piece of meat. "By all means." She threw out with a playful tone.

Mike threw a look at the other girl, giving her a confused glance. He turned his attention back to me and threw his smile back on. "So listen, I know that the both of you are pretty new to the school and might not have a lot of friends yet. Sometimes it can be hard to connect with people, especially in a town like this where everyone is judged. If you ever want to meet some cool new people there's this club…. It's got all kinds of people from different backgrounds. It's a place where you can be yourself and not be judged for it. They accept you for who you are. So if you guys want, you should check out the Glee club." he announced.

Tina eyed me from the corner of her eye. We both chuckled at the thought. Glee club. That was Rachel's safe haven, her life's work, her dream. It was her home. Joining the glee club would be an invasion of her privacy. I already knew what my answer was going to be. I couldn't do it. The whole point to this fucking pilgrimage is to stay away from her. And I said I would. (I'm trying)

But another part of me really considered it for a moment. I would get to hear Rachel sing. It would give me an excuse to be closer to her. I could keep an eye out.

"We will definitely think about it and get back to you on that." Tina replied for me.

Mike nodded. "Just let me know. We would be happy to have the both of you on board."

"Hey, do you guys mind if I join you?" Sam asked as he stood at the end of our table.

"Sure." I nodded.

"What are you guys talking about?" the blonde haired boy asked as he took a seat beside Mike.

"I was just extending an invitation to glee club to them."

Sam smiled. "And?"

"They're thinking about it."

"That's pretty awesome. I love the glee club. Of course we really suck. But don't tell my girlfriend that. She'll murder you. But it's a cool place to meet people. Everyone is pretty down to earth." Sam stated.

"Maybe." Tina and I both answered together.

"So Mike, how's the dancing going?" Sam started up, twisting the bottle cap from his soda.

The Asian boy chuckled lightly. "Good. I'm working on some new material."

My interest was immediately piqued. "You dance?" I asked with curiosity.

He nodded. "Yeah, I've been dancing ever since I was 5. It's my passion. "

"I didn't realize the school had a dance class." I commented.

The boy quickly shook his head. "Not really. I'm doing it myself. It's hip hop."

"That's really interesting."

"Thanks. Well if you want I could give you a couple of lessons if you're interested?" Mike asked.

"I'll think about it." I nodded.

My mind was filled with thoughts. I really wanted to start dancing. It was always fascinating watching Rachel do it. She seemed to immerse herself into another world, letting her body take control. I couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like. A smile stretched across my face at the thought. Maybe I would really consider it. Maybe I would love dancing too?

Suddenly I felt something draw me out from my thoughts. It was a weird feeling. I looked around the cafeteria but nothing was out of the ordinary. A few people would causally look my way but other than that nothing. From across the room I spotted Rachel over at the glee table talking with Kurt and Mercedes. I frowned a bit. I didn't like the fact that she was hanging out with them. They weren't her friends. They were just using her. I really hoped Rachel would figure it out soon.

I went back to my food and continued to eat, ignoring the conversation around me. Today Lilly had packed me leftovers from last night. It was some type of casserole. I forgot what it was called. But it was delicious. As soon as I was done with the meal I went in for the peanut butter. After one spoonful I was in heaven. _Fuck that's soo good! I could live off of this stuff.. Do you think Lilly would let me?_ My thoughts were interrupted again by that same fucking weird feeling. It was like a buzzer going off. I looked around. Still nothing. I was getting a bit annoyed. It kind of felt like someone was watching me. But from where? The feeling faded away just as quickly as it came. I started playing with my water while keeping an eye out. When I felt it again I looked up. This time there was a pair of eyes on me, making contact. Rachel was eyeing me. I was a bit surprised. Her eyes went wide. She looked away quickly. I sat back, watching her with curiosity. She was purposely not looking over here anymore. It was a bit odd. I didn't understand why she was staring at me. It made me feel uncomfortable at the idea. Maybe it wasn't me she was looking at. I mean her boyfriend was sitting over here. That could explain it. Mentally I was already agreeing with myself. Yes, that was it.

Lunch was more than half way over when Sam stood up. "I should be heading back to my girlfriend. But it was nice talking with you guys. Tina, Quinn, I really hope you both consider joining the glee club. We could use more bodies. You should come in and hear us."

"Sure." I nodded.

"Later guys." Sam waved as he walked off toward the glee table.

Our table watched as the tall blonde haired boy leaned in and pressed a kiss to Rachel's head. She turned and wrapped her arms around him as he took a seat next to her. Mike smiled and sighed out loud. "They are the cutest couple in the world."

I couldn't agree more. "They really are." I nodded.

* * *

After lunch Puck popped out of nowhere and grabbed my arm. He shoved me into the nearest room, slamming the door shut.

"What the-"

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" Puck rounded out.

I backed up, completely taken by surprise.

"You don't know me! You don't know me at all. So again, I ask. Who the FUCK do you think you are?" he growled out.

"You'd better back the fuck off me." I hissed.

The taller boy got in my face, leaving only an inch apart. "What the fuck you going to do about it bitch?" he breathed out.

Without thinking my fist slammed into his face. The boy went down hard. Blood oozed down from his lower lip. He blinked a few times before he realized what happened. Immediately Puck stood back up, there was a dangerous gleam in his eyes. "You think you know me? Is that it? You think you know my life?" he spat out angrily.

I didn't answer.

"DO YOU FUCKING KNOW ME?" he yelled out.

"No." I winced from the power of his voice.

Puck was heaving. The veins in his forehead were popping out. He was shaking with anger. "THEN WHY DID YOU SAY THOSE THINGS TO ME THIS MORNING? WHY? YOU DON'T FUCKING KNOW ME!"

"You're right, I don't know you. And by the way you're acting right now I wouldn't want to." I threw back.

"I don't care if you like me or not. Your opinion doesn't matter to me. You don't know shit about me or my life. So stay the fuck out of it. Don't presume to know shit when you don't."

"For someone who doesn't care of my opinion, you sure are mad as hell about it." I pointed out.

"Don't FUCK with me."

I eyed him. My good old friend anger was showing up. "You want to know something Puck? You are a fucking COWARD!"

The boy's eyes got huge. He stood stock still.

"You have the potential to be such a great guy, and a leader for this school. You have the chance to make something of yourself. You can prove to those other fucking idiots that you are more that what you're worth. But you choose to lower yourself to these degrading standards, belittling your own value and integrity."

There were tears streaming down his face as he stared at me.

"You are a huge fucking disappointment to look at. You're a coward because you have nothing to stand for. You fuck anything that moves. And you treat people like shit. You aren't going to be anything unless you make something of yourself. So get up off your ass and find your fucking balls. Because I KNOW that you are better than this. I'll be waiting. But until then, I've got plenty to go around."

Immediately I brushed past him and threw open the door in anger. _When will the day end?_

* * *

It was the last class of the day. And just like yesterday I felt very uncomfortable. Rachel's presence was still as loud as ever. She was affecting me. I couldn't concentrate. That same lingering tension clung between us. The only difference about today was her smell. She smelled like sweet cinnamon. My eyes stared at the back of Rachel's head. Her long and flowing brown hair dove past her shoulders. It looked soft. I was dying to reach out and touch it. My fingers were twitching with anxiety. The urge was strong.

Mr. Larson started handing out papers. I didn't know why. When he got to Rachel, his eyes briefly landed on me before he looked away to the other row. _Fuck…._ Rachel handed back the papers. I grabbed them from her, accidently brushing her finger. I nearly dropped all the papers by the sudden fire that ignited within me. It took me by surprise. It all happened so quickly. My body was suddenly on high alert, face heating up. Rachel didn't turn around at all. Her body language didn't reveal that she had acknowledged the touch. I don't think she felt it. Sucking in a long breath I focused and got back to work.

* * *

When the bell finally rang everyone dashed out from the room to start their weekend. I headed straight for my locker and switched out the books I needed for homework. The halls were quickly dying out. By the time I was done the hall was completely silent. As I turned a corner I nearly ran into Mr. Larson. His eyes grew big as he quickly recognized me. He smiled and looked down at the ground a bit shyly. I was smiling tightly at the sudden interaction. He finally looked up through his lashes, eyes bright.

"How do you like the class?" he asked with an expressive tone.

"It's fine." I replied back shortly.

Mr. Larson chuckled softly. "Just fine? Ouch, thanks."

I shook my head, a bit embarrassed. I didn't know why. I wasn't really sure what he wanted me to say. "I was just being honest." I answered back.

"Yeah I get it. School isn't cool. I used to be a student myself."

"Right, a long time ago." I pointed out.

The teacher let out another soft chuckle and nodded. "Not THAT long ago. I'm not a dinosaur. But yes it has been a little while."

I eyed him, taking in the view. The man was ridiculously breathtaking. I couldn't help but admire how beautiful he was. There was something about him. I couldn't place it. I was very attracted to him. It was hard to look away. This all seemed strange and a bit horrifying. I didn't know what to do.

"Can I ask you something?" I asked curiously.

"Sure." He nodded.

"Why do you keep staring at me in class?"

He looked like a deer caught in the headlights. The teacher straightened up a bit, surprised. His pink lips opened in a perfect O. His face burned red as he casted his gaze away. In a nervous gesture he began rubbing his hand through the back of head.

"I- uhh- I wasn't aware that I was." He stated quietly.

"But you are. And I really don't think it's appropriate for a teacher to look at a student the way you are. I understand that there is an attraction of some type between us. But I need you to understand that nothing can happen. Do you understand?"

Mr. Larson looked like he was about to die. His eyes went wide like he had been shot. Emotions were burning across his face. He licked his lips and huffed out a breath. "Quinn, I'm your teacher. And you're my student. That's all there is to it. I- don't nor ever had any intention of…" he paused gulping down heavily. "I love my job. I wouldn't give this up for anything in the world. You don't have anything to worry about." He said.

"Nothing is going to happen." I stated firmly.

He took a step forward, eyes meeting mine. Everything about him was loud. I felt overwhelmed by him. The taller man nodded his head in agreement. My alarm bells were going off. He's dangerous.

"I need to hear you say it Mr. Larson."

The teacher cleared the back of his throat. "Nothing." He agreed.

"Glad to hear it." I replied back heavily.

We both eyed each other. My heart was racing, body reacting to him. His eyes were burning me up. The flames were eating me alive. Mr. Larson cleared his throat once again before backing away. "Have a good afternoon Ms. Fabray." He rasped out.

"Mr. Larson." I stated a bit breathless as he quickly walked past me.

I closed my eyes and placed my hands across my chest, hoping it would help with my beating heart. It didn't make a difference. My world was up in flames and I was burning. This body was stupid. _Fuck!_

* * *

_**Until next time! **_


	10. Queens and Power

_Note: Hello my lovely readers. So I just wanted to put this out there for those of you who don't know my style of writing. For starters, if I put a story in a certain category, it's there for a reason. If you don't like certain parts of the story or don't like where it's heading by all means don't read it. There are certainly more lovely stories out there. Second, I never like to rush the characters. Great things take some time. I'm more about the journey rather than the destination._

_Ps. People CAN be attracted to more than one person. It's human nature._

_Thanks, Enjoy!_

* * *

**Ch 10**

_**Time Sequence: Rachel Berry age 12**_

Sam Evans moved into the house next door to Rachel when she was twelve years old. It was on a sunny April afternoon when she first laid eyes on him. The small blonde haired boy was outside on his front lawn, battling against a fire breathing blood dragon. Rachel watched on in amazement as the boy flipped onto the ground and slashed at the incredible monster. The boy was brave and strong. He reminded her of a knight in shining armor and it took her breath away. Sam made another hit to the dragon, using his broad steel double edged sword (Which was made out of the finest oak tree from his back yard). The attack made no difference to the large dragon because its skin was made of steel. The dragon blew a breath of fire which missed the boy by nearly an inch.

Out of nowhere a second dragon had arrived. Sam's face filled with fear. Using this moment of distraction the first dragon quickly swiped its tail and knocked the magical sword from the boy's hands and threw him across the yard. It was at that moment that Rachel quickly ran across her yard toward him. She grabbed the nearest and largest stick she could find. Once she got to the boy she slammed her stick into the ground, releasing a powerful magical force field.

"Hurry, we don't have much time. My spell can only last for so long!" Rachel yelled out.

Sam drew his eyes upon the smaller girl. Her bushy brown hair and pale face stuck him to his very core. Immediately he knew that she was his princess and savior. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. After a few precious seconds he leapt to his feet and grabbed her hand. Fire surrounded them. The dragons were trying to attack but Rachel's strong force field was keeping them back.

"We cannot defeat them right now. They are too strong and too many." Sam called out.

"What are we going to do?" Rachel cried out.

The two younger kids gazed out into the lawn which was covered in dirt, rubble and fire. The skies were lit with dark shadows. It looked like all hope was lost. Sam looked over to Rachel and tightened his grasp on her.

"There is only one thing left to do. I must save our people."

"What?" Rachel shrieked.

"Goodbye my friend. See to it that this world lives." Sam announced with a puff of his chest.

Tears trailed down Rachel's face. Sam dashed out from the safety of the force field and into the line of dragons. He quickly pulled out a large stone, which was really a magical bomb that could destroy any and all dragons, and threw it at the large creatures. A white light appeared and blew up everything in sight. By the time all the smoke cleared Rachel let down her force field and ran to Sam. He was on his back, eyes rolled to the back of his head. He wasn't breathing. Rachel quietly cried for a few seconds until it was all over.

Suddenly Sam opened his eyes, a large and wide smile coming into view. Rachel sat back with relief and happiness.

"I'm Sam by the way! You were totally awesome! I didn't know you had secret magic powers. That was super cool. I wish I could've thought of that. But thank you for saving my life!" The boy enthused.

"I'm Rachel Berry. I'm glad I could help. It looked like you were struggling there."

The two eyed each other with bright young smiles. This was the first time that Rachel had ever played with anyone. It was also the first time that anyone had ever really talked to her. Sam was her first friend. Ever since that day the two were inseparable. Sometimes they would be outside playing in their fantasy world filled with fairy princesses and strong knights. And sometimes when feeling a bit rebellious, would venture out to McGregor's peach farm. They would sneak underneath the gates and pick at the fresh ripe peaches. Every once in a while when Mr. McGregor caught them, he would chase them out of his yard with a rake.

Rachel and Sam laughed and played underneath the sun and stars. It didn't matter where they were. They would always come up with something to do or chase. Sam was always chasing after Rachel. But it wasn't until one day when Rachel had turned fourteen that Sam bravely got the courage to press his lips against hers. It was the day after her birthday underneath the willow tree in Rachel's backyard that Sam Evans had declared his love for her. They've been dating ever since. Sam loved her with all of his heart and treated her like a princess. And she loved him. They were soul mates.

* * *

_**Time Sequence: Present**_

Sam and Rachel were walking down the hall, holding hands. The sight made me smile. Rachel wrapped her arm around him, leaning into him. Sam smiled widely and pressed a gentle kiss to her head. I was happy for them. I couldn't wait for the day till they got married. I could already picture their life and how wonderful their children would be.

Tina came up to me and eyed the young couple. I heard a large heavy sigh escape from her. "They are really fucking adorable."

"I know. I'm happy." I nodded, looking over at Tina with a warm smile.

Tina was still staring over at the couple with this far off look in her eyes. Something looked to be bothering her. But I couldn't tell what.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Do you think we will find love?" Tina asked with a heavy voice.

I shrugged, not really caring if I found love or not. It wasn't what I wanted or what mattered to me. My mind was far from it. It didn't make sense. Why would I bother? In a year I would be gone. Then what? Heartbreak? No, way. Love is not at the top of my list.

The young couple stopped at Sam's locker. Rachel leaned against the adjacent locker waiting for her boyfriend to collect his books. She looked around the hall. I could feel the exact moment when she spotted me. A flurry of energy sprang up. And suddenly I felt like I wanted to run a mile.

"It's a real shame, you know? What if we never really experience love?" Tina groaned out.

There was that strange yet familiar feeling once again. It was the one when I knew Rachel was watching me. It's been happening a lot lately. She'd been watching me for the past week. Whenever she would look at me she would look away when I spotted her. It was a weird game. We haven't talked since our run-in in the restroom.

I was finding all of this a bit odd, all the staring. What did it even mean? I couldn't tell if she liked me or not. Her face was usually blank when I was around her. It was obvious that I piqued her interest. But she wouldn't talk to me. Was she scared of me? I looked up and found Rachel's eyes on me. She quickly looked away as if nothing had happened. I went back to feeling just as confused as ever.

* * *

After the first class ended Puck came up to me and walked with me. His eyes were off, his face a mixture of confusion and regret. He stuffed his hands into his pockets as we rounded a corner. Once we did the taller boy cut in front of me, stalling me to a stop. My eyes drew up to his face. His head was aimed at the ground. His eyes had dark circles and his clothes looked dirty. It looked like he barely slept. He was a mess.

"I'm not that guy." He whispered to me. His gaze lifted up as he met my eyes. "At least I don't want to be anymore."

I smiled softly. "I'm glad to hear it."

"Will you help me?" he asked.

"Of course." I nodded.

I reached out and grabbed his hand. His eyes went cloudy. It looked like he was about to cry. But instead he hung his head low. Together we walked down the hall hand in hand.

* * *

It was the last class of the day. Mr. Larson happened to be coming out of the room just as I was going in. We both smiled awkwardly as we did that awful shuffle dance, trying to get past each other. The taller man chuckled deeply before shaking his head.

"Care to dance?" he mocked a bit sheepishly.

I ignored his comment, trying to avoid his gaze. I just wanted to get into the room. The teacher huffed out a breath of air before he moved out of my way to let me pass. His arm brushed against me as I walked in. I bit into my lip just as I turned to watch him leave. I didn't understand this attraction that I had for this man. It's weird and I can't really explain it. But he makes me feel a little brighter. I'm not sure if that makes any sense. But there is something there. I huffed out in frustration and went to my seat. I began unpacking my stuff for the class.

Out of the corner of my eye Rachel walked in. Immediately the room shrunk into a tight airless vacuum. My alarm bells were going off, my head ringing with warning. Rachel took her seat in front of me and started unpacking her stuff. We were extremely early for class. No one was in here besides us. The walls were beginning to close in on me. My heart started racing. _What the hell is going on? _

Suddenly a noise shattered the silence. I froze. My eyes landed on the pen that was lying on the ground and rolling toward my foot. It was her pen. I eyed the item on the ground then looked at the back of Rachel's head. She didn't notice. I reached down and picked it up. It had little bite marks at the end. I knew for sure that this was Rachel's. She had started that nasty habit when she was in kindergarten.

Sucking in a deep breath I reached out and gently tapped her shoulder. She froze, her body becoming stiff. I didn't move for fear I would drop a hundred feet below ground. As it was, I was barely breathing. My fingernails dug into my desk. _Maybe she didn't feel it? _I was suddenly very aware now and decided to do it again. My fingers gently tapped her once more. This time she turned her whole body very slowly. Big brown eyes came into view like a flashlight. I felt blinded for a moment.

"You dropped this."

Rachel eyed the pen in my hand and then at me. She was in a daze of some sort, in between bewilderment and surprise. I felt like a jack ass for some strange reason. My face felt hot and my body was burning up. Brown eyes blinked a few more times. It looked like she was trying to get herself back on track. Rachel slowly reached out and grabbed the pen from my hand, avoiding physical contact.

"Thank you." She rasped out.

"It's no problem Rachel."

Her eyebrows shot up. She quickly looked away, her face turning red. Her body was still facing me as if she wasn't done yet. The air between us was getting awkward and I was feeling more and more embarrassed. I don't know why though. I haven't done anything embarrassing. So why am I feeling like this? Rachel's eyes shot up to the ceiling. She was thinking. A moment later her eyes were back on me, fresh and ready.

"Quinn right?" she asked.

I nodded my head in agreement.

"So ….. do you like it here so far?" she asked, getting her words right.

I licked my lips and released a shaky breath. "Yeah, it's a cute town. The people are kind and friendly."

Rachel nodded and sucked in her lower lip. "I'll bet it's a big change from LA."

"Yeah, it was a big city. And there was always something to do. Everything over there was very high paced. Sometimes it was a bit overwhelming."

Rachel chuckled a bit. "I would take high paced any day than in this turtle paced city. It goes by extremely slow. "

"It seems that way" I smiled softly.

Big brown eyes studied me with a strange kind of focus. This time it wasn't penetrating or trying to dig beneath the surface. It was learning and observing, soaking everything up like a sponge. Once again I felt under the microscope. But I didn't really mind. It was Rachel. Rachel was looking at me. She was really looking at me. And I was looking at her, each getting lost in one another. It's strange that you could know someone your whole life yet you can still discover something new about them. In a way Rachel was like the sea. She was vast, deep, and beautiful. You could explore the sea many times but you would never really be able to know everything hidden beneath the water. I was quickly learning that Rachel was even more dangerous than I thought. Why? Because I'm drowning in her and it can't be helped.

"I'm sorry, but I just have to ask. It's been bothering me ever since I've met you. Are you sure we have never met before? I mean besides your first day here?" Rachel asked with a firm tone.

I shook my head. "Of course not. I would've remembered. I'm sure you would've too. But why do you ask?"

"I don't really know how to explain it." She expressed. "This might sound a bit weird but it feels like I've met you before. Like, I've known you for a long time."

"That is strange." I commented, knowing that it was a lie because I felt it too.

"Yeah, I don't know. Maybe I'm just being weird. It's kind of one of my traits." She said, pulling her gaze away, now embarrassed.

"You're not weird. You're just being honest." I replied back.

Brown eyes returned back to me with caution. She was studying me again, searching for something. It was clear she didn't find what she was looking for and focused her gaze on my desk. "Funny, you're the only one. Most people can't stand me. They say I'm too abrasive and come off as a bitch."

I scoffed. "There's nothing wrong with knowing what you want."

"Tell that to the others."

"You shouldn't worry about those idiots. It just means you are way ahead of their time."I threw out.

Rachel glanced up at me. Her brows furrowed. She was getting suspicious of me. I didn't know why. Had I done something wrong? "Why are you being nice to me?" she asked quietly.

"Why would I be anything but nice?"I replied back.

"Please don't answer my question with a question. It upsets me." Rachel expressed with wide eyes.

I shook my head and rubbed my face. This girl was frustrating, even when I know everything about her. Why is she getting so defensive with me? "I'm sorry. I'm just a little confused by your question. Do I have to have a reason to be nice to you?"

Rachel was eyeing me closely. "Girls like you don't interact with girls like me. It's just the way it works. No doubt that soon enough you will become one of the popular girls. So it makes me wonder what it is that you want from me."

_Are you serious? What- What kind of fucked up shit is that? Want something from you? What the hell would I want from you Rachel? I'm not trying to take anything away from you. I'm here to protect you. Ugh, what have these fucking idiots put in your head? _"You are being paranoid." I stated firmly.

Rachel nodded her head and crossed her arms across her chest. "Yes, I am. But it also protects me from getting hurt."

"That also keeps people at arm's length." I pointed out.

"Yes, but it also keeps the wrong people away. The fake people won't have time to deal with my shit. It also allows the real people who would want to get to know me to stay and fight." She threw back.

I chuckled softly and sat back in my seat. "You're certainly not making this easy for me then."

Rachel paused, biting down on her lower lip before looking away. Her face was tinting with a pink hue.

"To answer your question, no, I don't want anything from you. I barely even know you." I answered back.

Rachel casted her gaze down at my desk, focusing in on a spot. Her hands were messing around restlessly. "You are certainly spending a lot of time with my boyfriend. He's very attractive. It's understandable really. He's wonderful and very sweet. He's got an amazing personality, and he's friendly. Physically he's in tremendous shape."

"What are you getting at Rachel?" I asked with confusion.

"I would understand if you felt some type of attraction toward him." She stated.

_What the fuck? _ "Are you aware that he's totally in love with you? He can't stop talking about you."

Rachel looked up at me and met me with a fierce look. "Things can change in an instant."

There was a long pause and for a while I felt like I was floating again. I couldn't feel my feet. Rachel's words were running through my head like a toxic poison. I didn't understand why she was filling me up with this crap. Was she really afraid that I would try and steal her boyfriend? Was she that insecure? I've always known Rachel to be the dramatic type. Her insecurities were always farfetched. But this? This was way past ordinary. In no other circumstance would she EVER say this kind of stuff to a person she's only known for maybe five minutes. But here she was, telling me, insinuating her insecurities in plain color. Maybe I wasn't the only one being affected by this connection as well.

"I'm not here for him."

Rachel's brows furrowed with that dark intensity. She didn't understand. It looked like she was about to ask what that meant but I blinked and suddenly we weren't the only ones in our world anymore. _When the hell did this room get so full? _Rachel swallowed heavily. She was staring at me hard. Her intensity made me feel nervous. A silent shiver ran through me.

"Rachel Berry!" Mr. Larson spoke out loud.

The smaller girl pulled out of her trance and looked around. She found the teacher and everyone in the room staring at her.

"Class has started now. You're here to learn. I'd appreciate it if you would now face the front. You have time for chit chat later."

Rachel's face turned red as she turned and faced the front. Mr. Larson eyed me for a moment before looking away. "Now that everyone is paying attention. Let's start."

* * *

Halfway through class I was summoned by Mrs. Oatley. I didn't know what for. For some reason I had the unconscious belief that I had done something wrong. It especially felt like that when I left the classroom with all eyes on me. I could practically feel the nosy prickling in my back. They were dying to know why too.

"Hey sweetheart how are you doing?" Mrs. Oatley responded from behind her desk.

"Great!" I answered back a bit unsure of myself. "What's all this about?"

The older lady threw me a large warm smile before adjusting the glasses on her nose. "Well, I was taking into consideration about what you said a couple of days ago, about your schedule?"

I nodded my head, eyeing her with curiosity. "What did you come up with?" I asked brightening up.

"I think I may have found a way to reschedule your classes." She announced.

"HOW? I'll do anything." I blurted out.

Mrs. Oatley chuckled before eyeing her computer screen. "You would have to select an extracurricular activity. I've been looking around and there is only one that is available that would give you what you want."

"Which is?" I asked.

The lady threw her gaze at me and gave me a hesitant smile. "Cheerleading."

"Cheerleading?" I threw out with a frown.

"Yes." Mrs. Oatley replied with an unsure tone.

"You want me to be a cheerleader?" I clarified.

The older woman casually pushed her shoulders back. "It is a really great program. Our cheerleading team is ranked number one in the state. We take pride in them. And it's really the only way we can reschedule your classes."

_Great….. sell my soul… or stay and die? Why can't choices ever be simple? Things would've been a lot simpler if Rachel didn't affect me so much. There's nothing I can do about that or the connection we have. All I can do is try to stay away from her. _

_But how can I do that when we've….. _

"Can I think about this for a while? This is a really important decision." I answered back.

Mrs. Oatley nodded her head. "Go ahead. But if you decide to change your mind go see Ms. Sylvester."

"Thanks." I mumbled out as I rose from my seat. "I really appreciate what you've done for me."

"No problem sweetheart. Have a wonderful day."

_Like fuck I will…._

* * *

School couldn't have finished any faster. By the time it was done I was rushing out of the classroom ready to leave. The weekend was here and I was ready to be done with all this shit. As I rounded a corner something caught my nose. I paused in the middle of the hallway, sniffing the air like a hound. _Food!_ My mouth was watering. Whatever it was smelled delicious. I followed the scent down the hall and into an empty room. Well almost empty. That kid in the wheelchair was at a stove mixing some kind of sauce and noodles.

"Hi."

The boy jumped a bit in his wheelchair, startled by my presence. "Hey. Come on in." he croaked out, trying to get himself together.

"Sorry I just smelled something really delicious and I couldn't really help myself." I admitted feeling a bit sheepish and self-conscious. My love of food was something to be reckoned with. "I had no idea they had a kitchen here. Well other than the cafeteria."

"This is the Home Ec building." He pointed out. "They have all sorts of stuff in here."

"That's really cool." I nodded feeling a smile wrap around my face.

"Did you want to help?" he asked.

I nodded. "I love cooking. It's becoming one of my favorite things to do."

"Really? Me too! I come in here every Friday after school and whip up a new dish." He explained.

"Wow! And what are we making today?" I asked walking up to the stove, completely forgetting about leaving.

Artie eyed me with a look. I didn't know what it was supposed to mean. But it was obvious he wasn't used to this sort of attention. I'm assuming it's because of the wheelchair. It must put people off because he's different. No one wants to feel awkward or uncomfortable so they don't bother. Self preservation is human kind's greatest survival instinct. But it is also their greatest flaw.

"Listen I- I just wanted to say thanks for what you did for me earlier this week. You're the only person that's ever stood up for me." He spoke softly.

I eyed the boy sternly. "It's a real fucking shame when I see stuff like that going on. I just don't understand how people can sit there and watch? It makes me sick! I was more disappointed in the fact that NO ONE did anything."

"It sucks. But you can't really blame the others. They live in fear of the popular kids at this school. They hold the power. They're just trying to save themselves." Artie sighed out.

I shook my head and eyed the pot of noodles. There it was again, that damn fucking word. Self preservation. Psh! Just another lame fucking excuse to chop some kid's head off. Next time someone else might not be so lucky.

"By the way, it's Pad Thai." Artie answered back.

My thoughts returned back to reality as I eyed the boy. "What is that?"

"It's basically noodles mixed in with some vegetables."

"Hmmm….I've never had it before."

Artie smiled at me before rolling to the refrigerator. "Then prepare to be amazed."

I chuckled softly. This guy is a….. what's the word? Dork? Yeah, that's it. Dork. But he's sweet and kind. He's exactly what I need while I'm here. "Next Friday I'm picking the new recipe."

The boy gazed at me with wide eyes. "You're coming back?"

"Of course I am. You're not eating alone anymore. And this way, we can totally try and create some extravagant meals that are bitchin. " I replied back.

The boy blushed and nodded his head. "Bitchin…. That sounds good to me."

* * *

**What do you guys think? Should Quinn join the cheerleading squad or stay in her class? You decide. Comment to let me know. Just remember, whichever you choose, there WILL be a consequence. Take that into consideration. After 24hrs, I will count up the comments. Please don't comment more than once for this. **

**Want to give a shout out to ****SageXFallen****. You totally get it! My vision of Mr. Larson is like a combination of Zac Efron and Ryan Reynolds. **

**Anyways thanks for the love peeps! UNTIL NEXT TIME!**


	11. Snowy Waters (Please Don't Forget)

**Note: Warning for the chapter… it's an intense one, full of drama. So be prepared. Thanks!**

* * *

**Ch 11 Snowy Waters **

_**Rachel Berry age 11**_

Rachel was sitting out by the frozen lake, surrounded by a sea of white powder. Young brown eyes gazed out into the white covered tops of the trees in her backyard. The sky was lit with thunderous grey clouds, not a peak of sunshine to be seen. All was silent. There wasn't a breath or movement to be heard for miles. Remnants of dried tears had left their mark across Rachel's young face. A trickle of blood fell from her lower lip, slamming into the soft quiet powder. She could taste the copper that filled her mouth. It didn't bother her. At this point nothing could. She raked her teeth over and over again across the cut on her lip, digging deeper, forcing more blood to come out. Rachel's red-shot eyes sunk down to her shaking hands. She couldn't stop.

"You know that this isn't fair." Rachel heaved out with an edgy tone.

"I know."Guardian Quianna whispered from beside her.

Rachel scoffed, shaking her head with disapproval. Her eyes suddenly lit with fire as she hastily stood to her feet and eyed the frozen lake. "IT'S NOT FAIR! WHY?" she screamed.

Guardian Quianna watched the young girl with a careful eye. "I don't know Rachel, these things just happen. You can't do or say anything that's going to change it. Sometimes there's nothing you can do about it. Some things are inevitable."

Fresh tears were pouring down Rachel's face. A loud sob broke out into the forest just as she lost the use of her legs and fell to her knees, crying. Guardian Quianna reached out and lightly touched the young girl's shoulder. But it was useless, neither of them could feel it. The angel couldn't help her. She watched the girl tremble in pain. There was nothing she could do to make it better.

Rachel's cries pierced through the heavens. It shook the angel to her core as she watched yet another heartbreaking scene unfold. It was all that the angel could do.

"I HATE YOU! DO YOU HEAR ME? I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!" she cried.

"YOU SHOULD HAVE SAVED HIM! YOU COULD HAVE SAVED HIM!"

Guardian Quianna closed her eyes, trying to understand the pain Rachel was feeling. But she couldn't. She couldn't feel a thing.

_This wasn't supposed to happen. Not to her. Not like this. I didn't see this coming._

"I'm sorry that I can't be physically here for you. I know how much you need me right now. I'm so sorry Rachel. I'm soo so sorry! I promise that I will never leave your side. I will always be here for you, Rachel Berry. You are never alone. Please don't forget that." The angel whispered into her ear.

Guardian Quianna tried to sweep her hand through Rachel's hair like countless times before, knowing the end result. Nothing. Rachel stared numbly out into the lake, completely lost and heartbroken.

"Rach, sweetheart-"

Leroy Berry stood behind us. His face pale, dark bags dug beneath his eyes from plenty of restless nights. His hair looked as if it hadn't been combed in a while. But what was really telling was the haunted and hollow look in his eyes.

"It's time to go." His voice cracked.

Rachel slowly stood to her feet, mustering every ounce of strength she could find. Before she faced her father she closed her eyes and sucked in a breath. She wiped the tears from her eyes. When she met his broken stare she almost broke down in tears again. But she knew this wasn't a time to be selfish. This wasn't about her. Her father needed her. He needed her to be strong. Rachel, for the first time, put on a fake smile and her warrior face, shoving her feelings beneath the carpet.

Her small black dress flew out against the mellow breeze as the two eyed each other. Leroy slowly extended a hand out to her, begging for a life raft. Rachel took his hand in a tight grasp. Together they walked down through the mounds of snow to the limousine that was parked at the front of their house.

Dec 15: Hiram Berry was laid to rest.

* * *

**Present Time:**

I finally opened my locker after the 10th attempt, following it with an obscene amount of cussing. A few eyes crept my way as they passed along, some with a bit of surprise at my sailor like tongue. To hell with them. I was reveling in a small victorious battle, stupid as it might be, but moments like these made my day. A small smile made its way onto my face as I grabbed my books for my morning classes.

"H-Hi Quinn" a voice shuddered out.

My body froze. I recognized the voice instantly. My heart started picking up as I slowly spun around. Rachel was standing in front of me with her hands braced behind her back, eyes casted over at the locker beside my head. Her eyes were a bit wide and glazing with spirit. There was a different type of energy about her today. She looked stronger somehow, a lot better than yesterday.

"Good morning Rachel." The words flew from my lips.

Brown eyes flicked over to me instantaneously, meeting my eyes. For some strange reason my face began heating up beneath her gaze, like she was trying to burn me up with just a look. And once again I was swept away by a sea of warm brown chocolate. A shy smile made its way onto Rachel's face as she nervously tucked away a piece of hair behind her ear. I followed the movement with greedy eyes as another strange kind of desire came over me. _Her hair looks really soft…_

"I wanted to apologize for my erratic behavior yesterday. I honestly don't know what got into me or why I said all those things. I've never acted that way before in front of anyone except for that one time that I sent this girl to a-" Rachel stopped immediately and shook her head. A blush sprinkled across her cheeks.

A large smile crept onto my face at her unfinished words. I knew exactly what she was talking about. It was that time when she sent Sunshine Corazon to a crack house because she got jealous of her. It had come as a surprise. I was shocked at her actions and a bit disappointed. I didn't know Rachel had it in her. But that was a couple of years ago. Rachel had changed since then. Looking back on that event it made me want to laugh. She was so young then.

"It's obvious that you are a very beautiful girl Quinn. Probably the prettiest girl I've ever laid eyes on. A-and it makes me feel a bit uncomfortable. You make me feel very insecure about myself and I can't seem to say the right things. That's why I thought that maybe you and Sam- I'm afraid that he might leave me for you. I know it might seem a bit farfetched but for me it isn't. I'm also feeling extremely embarrassed right now for having confessed all of this to you, especially since we don't even know each other."

Rachel blew out a long breath and casted her gaze down at the ground in a defeated sort of way. Her shoulders slumped forward as she rubbed a hand to her face. "I don't really know what I'm trying to say anymore. But I just don't- Sorry, I'm starting to ramble. I only get this way when I'm-"

"Nervous." I finished for her.

She nodded and crossed her arms across her chest. The smile on my face only got bigger. I didn't know why I was smiling at a time like this. I should be concerned about her. Rachel doesn't feel comfortable around me. She's acting out of character every time I come around. Yet here I was, quite content with having another insanely inappropriate conversation.

"You don't freak me out Rachel Berry. I find your words refreshing compared to anyone I've ever engaged with. You're different and that's what I like about you." I stated with a soft voice, reaching out and brushing a strand of hair from her face.

Rachel gazed up at me with wide eyes, millions of thoughts rushing through.

"I'm sorry that I make you feel like this. You shouldn't feel intimidated by me. I am nothing compared to you because you are more. You are beautiful."

Rachel swallowed heavily as she threw her brown orbs at anywhere but me. The air around us was turning thick with uneasiness. I smiled warmly at the other girl, trying not to drown in her. But this feeling was overwhelming and I was struggling. I didn't know why though. What was I going to do? "Please don't forget that." I whispered.

I grabbed the rest of my books and slammed my locker shut before taking off down the hall, leaving a frazzled Rachel Berry out in the middle of the hall.

* * *

A small portion of the glee club which included Puck, Sam, Blaine, Mike and Artie was sitting outside in a small circle in the courtyard. Tina sat beside me on the grass as we all chatted quietly. Puck had brought his guitar and was teaching me to play. His fingers quickly swept across the strings with ease and finesse.

"Here, now you try." He nodded, handing the guitar over to me.

I placed my fingers exactly in the same position as he did.

"We are going to go slow with this. So first, here is the-"

I strummed the guitar and copied Puck's exact movements that I had seen him do earlier while he was playing. My fingers strummed through the melody just as he did. Once I was done the entire group went silent. Puck stared wide eyed at me.

"I thought you said you didn't know how to play?" Puck asked with confusion.

I smiled and shrugged. "I don't."

"Then how did you-"

"I just watched what you did and copied your movements. That's all." I stated nonchalantly.

Puck scratched at his head and nodded. "Wow, I've never met anyone that was able to pick things up like that. That's fucking awesome. Usually it takes people like two hours just to learn a segment. But you just played an entire song…. "

I smiled and handed him back the guitar. "I'm just very good at watching."

A large smile blew across Puck's face as he strummed a few chords. The chords quickly turned into an upbeat song in which everyone joined in and started singing.

Somebody once told me the world is gonna roll me  
I ain't the sharpest tool in the shed  
She was looking kind of dumb with her finger and her thumb  
In the shape of an "L" on her forehead

As soon as I joined in both Blaine and Artie stopped singing and eyed each other with shocked expressions. When it became evident that I was the only one singing that's when the music died, all eyes on me. Again I felt like I was under the spotlight. What did I do wrong this time?

"Wow, you can sing!" Blaine threw out with an excited smile.

"Dude, now you totally HAVE to join glee club." Artie commented.

"Yeah, we could use you" Puck agreed.

_Ahhh, shit. Way to go Quinn…._

"I'll think about it." I nodded, side eyeing Tina.

The group continued to stare at me for a few more seconds until the music picked back up, Puck strumming back the same old melody. The taller Mohawk boy sung out with a strong soothing voice.

_Well, the years start coming and they don't stop coming_  
_Fed to the rules and I hit the ground running_  
_Didn't make sense not to live for fun_  
_Your brain gets smart but your head gets dumb_

Everyone started joining back in, including myself.

_So much to do so much to see_  
_So what's wrong with taking the back streets?_  
_You'll never know if you don't go_  
_You'll never shine if you don't glow_

_Hey now you're an All Star get your game on, go play_  
_Hey now you're a Rock Star get the show on get paid_  
_And all that glitters is gold_  
_Only shooting stars break the mold_

We were all having a good time just laughing, singing and goofing off. It wasn't until I caught a scent of something that brought me back to reality. I looked around, confused. I didn't know what it was, that smell. It was strong. It wasn't natural like the air. I tried to ignore the odorous smell. But there was something that I couldn't shake off, this weird feeling. It was bubbling up in the pit of my stomach. I was oddly aware of my surroundings. My body was perking up. I was on high alert and I didn't know why. The smell was getting stronger and it made me feel nauseous. I eyed Tina and gave her a knowing look. She understood and nodded her head. I slowly stood up. Suddenly I felt something akin to water rushing through my ear. _What the fuck?_

I felt my heart start racing. Everyone was looking at me with concern.

"You alright."

Instead of answering them I ignored them and started walking away fast. I was panicking now. Something wasn't right. My legs started running, brushing past people along the way._ Why am I feeling so sick all of a sudden?_ I didn't know where the hell I was running to. I didn't have time to think. I was just following this feeling.

I threw open the doors to the back of the school gym. Immediately I ran past it and into the adjacent building that connected with the pool. As soon as I saw the water my eyes widened. The smell. It was exactly what I had smelled outside. Chlorine. It was at that moment when I felt fear for the first time. I quickly dove into the pool heading straight for the bottom.

From the corner of my eye I saw a dark figure down at the bottom of the pool. I swam hard and fast toward the person. I reached out and grabbed the figure, a girl. With her in my arms I pushed up from the bottom. We surged upwards like a rocket. Once we broke out from the water I gasped for air, pulling her with me toward the ledge. Puck and Tina had suddenly appeared out of nowhere and helped me lift the girl from the water. They placed her down on the ground. I hopped out, soaking wet from head to toe, looking down at the girl. Rachel…

My eyes widened. _OH NO….. OH G** NO! _

Something within me trembled at the sight. Rachel's damp hair was sticking to her pale face. I could feel myself getting sick. My vision started swimming. And for some reason I couldn't stop shaking. Puck started performing CPR. Time seemed to be slowing down. Voices were shouting, calling out to one another. I couldn't hear anything. I could barely see. I wanted to throw up. My throat felt dry. _This can't be happening…. No…. NO this can't- _

I sucked in a shuddering breath. I could barely breathe. Suddenly something struck me. It was faint but I could still smell it. It was another scent. I tried to look around the room. It didn't belong to anyone in here. Strange…. I had smelled it before. It was familiar. I mentally ran through the different scents in my head, trying to figure out where I know it from.

My eyes suddenly lit with fire. A moment later I was flying out from the gym, storming out. The flames were eating me alive. I was burning all over. All I could see was red. My skin was crawling. I still couldn't breathe. I followed the scent like a blood hound.

A figure blocked my way. Tina-

"Quinn stop it!" Tina stated with a firm tone.

I tried to make my way past her but she blocked me. I eyed the Asian girl with a dangerous gleam in my eyes. "Fuck off." I hissed.

"No. I'm not moving." Tina threw back. "You need to calm down."

The flames rose higher. "Don't you dare tell me what to do. You have no right you fucking hypocrite." I growled out.

"You're letting your emotions get in the way." Tina stated.

"You're damn right I am. If it had not of been for me-"I paused, feeling the surging wave of emotions crash into me. My heart was pumping faster than ever before. "-I told you before to keep your charge in check. You failed. And now Rachel is paying for it."

Tina refused to move away. "Quinn, stop it! You don't know what happened. You are jumping to conclusions and being irrational. You're not thinking straight. Stop or you're going to do something you will regret."

"I am not going to regret doing this. Your charge's smell was all over that fucking place. She was there. She KNOWS Rachel can't swim." I growled out.

"How is this going to help Rachel?" Tina threw out.

"I don't fucking know. But it sure as hell will make me feel better." I spat out.

"You need to stop. This isn't about Rachel."

"The fuck it isn't." I hissed.

"Quinn, you're on the edge my friend of blurring the lines of what is right and what is wrong. You need to back off because she is NOT your responsibility anymore."

"SHE WILL ALWAYS BE MY RESPONSIBILITY. SHE IS MY LIFE, MY PRIORITY, MY FUCKING JOB! SHE WILL ALWAYS BE MINE! AND BEING LIKE THIS, IN THIS FUCKING HUMAN BODY. I CAN'T DO THIS! I CAN'T DO MY JOB AND PROTECT HER."

"Rachel is fine Quinn. She is FINE!"

"YEAH, BUT I'M NOT! SHE ALMOST D-D-DIED! HOW CAN YOU NOT UNDERSTAND THAT? IT'S MY JOB TO PROTECT HER AND I FAILED! WHAT IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN? WHAT IF NEXT TIME I'M NOT SO LUCKY? WHAT HAPPENS THEN? HUH? AND YOU- YOU'RE FUCKING BITCH- SHE DESERVES TO HAVE HER THROAT RIPPED OUT OF HER!"

I was seething, body shaking uncontrollably with anger. Tears were pouring down my face. I was filled with blind rage. Santana Lopez needed to pay. No one messes with her. Not Rachel. Not HER!

"Quinn you can't keep doing this! Don't blame yourself for things you have no control over. I understand how you feel. But violence does nothing. It's only going to get you into trouble. Once you do this, there is no going back. You can't be everywhere Rachel is. It's not possible. You can't be with her 24/7. You need to let her go. This human life is yours, not Rachel's. Somehow you've lost sight of that. You don't have the means of protecting her anymore. You can't live her life. You are not Rachel's guardian anymore!"

It was a slap to the face. And suddenly I was angrier than before. "If you don't back off, I will move you out of the way."

Tina didn't budge. I walked straight past her but was shoved back. Again I tried this time shoving the other girl back roughly. The other girl continued to block my way, shoving me harder. I made to hit her in the face but she dodged. Tina quickly slapped me across the face with a powerful blow that made my head spin.

I was heaving, trying to breathe. The images of Rachel were blurring through my head. Her pale face, the sickening hollow feeling at the pit of my stomach, her unmoving body. It was all too much. My world was spinning. I fell over to my side and threw up all of my contents. My nails dug into the dirt as I grasped onto the world, my anchor. Tina kneeled down beside me, rubbing my back in a comforting manner.

"I'm sorry Quinn. I promise this isn't going to happen again. I'll make sure of it. Leave Santana to me please."

All I could do was nod my head in agreement. My body was exhausted, all the anger in me dissipated as I rested my head against the cool soft grass, breathing. "How am I supposed to let her go? Huh? How am I supposed to live in this world knowing that she's here, in this same realm?" I rasped out.

Tina whispered in a soft voice. "I'm not telling you to forget about her. All I'm saying is that you need time for yourself. You need to go out and do the things that you've wanted to do. Live your life. Find something worth living for, because Rachel can't be everything. She can't be your entire life. It's not healthy."

"I know…." I whispered into the ground. "I know."

* * *

I decided to skip the rest of my classes for the day. Instead I sat out on the football field bleachers, staring off into the blue sky. I felt miserable, angry, hurt, and a bit numb. I wanted to hurt Santana Lopez. I wanted justice, revenge. At the moment I wondered what it would be like to take up smoking. I heard it was good for moments like these. I could probably use a smoke right now. Dozens of thoughts were running through my head. _I should have gotten there sooner…. I could have done something more! I should've prevented all of this from happening. Why didn't I leave sooner? Fuck! It was just pure luck, me getting to her in time. What if I had ignored my feelings? She would be dead right now. It would be my fault. I would've failed her. _

I could feel someone's presence. I looked up. I was shocked to find Rachel standing there. Her eyes were wide. It looked like she was on the verge of tears. I quickly stood up. Fear and worry were written across my face. Brown eyes bore into me like a blinding light. And suddenly I was reminded again that I almost lost her today. Tears dribbled down from Rachel's face. She was looking at me with this look. There were no walls, no hidden disguises. This was my Rachel Berry. The girl I had known my entire life. I could feel myself tearing up. There was a whirlwind of emotions running through us. I was feeling exactly what she was feeling. Rachel started trembling.

"I don't know how you got there, or how you f-found me. But if it wasn't for you I- I'd-" she stammered, panting heavily.

She couldn't talk anymore. Instead she fell to her knees before me, wrapping her arms around my waist. She pressed her face into my lower stomach and started crying hysterically. My tears ran freely down my face. My heart was feeling heavy and full. Automatically my fingers found her hair. And just like that everything clicked. I was running my hands through her hair for the thousandth time. The only difference this time was that I felt it. She felt it. I was swept away again in a motion of heavy tears.

"You don't understand how much-" Rachel cried out. She didn't get to finish because I already knew what she was going to say. And suddenly I was hugging her back tightly as if my life depended on it. Because it did. She is my life.

For a brief moment a thought occurred to me, one that sent a shiver straight to my heart.

_This is worth it…._

* * *

**Thanks everyone for the comments last time. Loved them. But just to clarify, YES this is a Faberry drama. I want to know what you guys thought of the last chapter. Hate it or love it? Let me know, I love hearing your thoughts. **

**PS: Quinn will stay on in her regular class.**

**Song used- Allstar by Smash Mouth**

**Until Next time my fellow readers…. **


End file.
